Unknown Soldiers
by BirdSpell
Summary: Once upon a time there was a hero and a child. But then the hero went away and the child grew up, and they became something far more deadly.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimed. **

…

_Chapter One: In Which Things Go Horribly, Horribly Wrong_

_***~Day Zero~***_

_***~Link~***_

I yawn, stretching and straightening my gauntlets as I turn to grin at Colin, sitting in the wagon beside me. "Looking forward to seeing Luda?" I tease.

"Looking forward to seeing Ashei?" he teases back. "And I _know_ Beth can't wait to see her prince."

"I heard that!"

We both chuckle at that. A week or so ago, Ashei sent me a letter informing me that the Group and Ralis were meeting up in Kakariko, for old time's sake. Renado had suggested it, as the one year anniversary of my defeating Ganondorf.

To be honest, I'm pretty sick of people celebrating that. _Congratulations, you killed a man!_ But they don't mean any harm. I'll tolerate it, at least a little longer. Besides, I *did* save the kingdom.

Did all the heroes have to put up with this?

"Ah, Hyrule calling Link?" I glance up, meeting Ilia's amused eyes.

"Sorry, I was just… thinking." I lean forward, patting Epona's neck. "Race you there?"

Ilia cracks the reins without another word, sending the wagon rattling off down the path. I laugh, sending Epona galloping after.

…

"Hey," Ashei says lightly, settling down beside me. "Having a good time?"

I shrug. "It's nice being able to talk to everyone again. I've missed you guys. Life's not the same without the occasional castle to storm."

She laughs. "Hard to believe it's already been a year, yeah?"

"It is a strange thought," Shad interjects, sitting beside Ashei. "A year ago today Hyrule was at war."

I nod. "And now it's not." I shoot them a sheepish look. "Would it be strange to say I miss it?"

Shad shrugs. "Well, from what I've read, the hero's spirit has a tendency to be… volatile once its host has completed his quest. One would think it never expected you to survive, old boy."

"Hero's spirit?" Ashei echoes. "What do you mean?"

I wave a hand airily. "It's just what… makes a hero a hero, I guess you could say. The last known person to carry it was the Hero of Time, then it was dormant for a few centuries, and then things started to go wrong again and it came to me. Not important." I frown thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll travel for a while. I mean, I have my whole life ahead of me. May as well learn what I can from it."

"An excellent decision," Shad says. "You will let me know if you find anything, won't you?"

"Yeah, if I get the chance." I lean forward. "The view from up here is incredible, isn't it?" We're settled on the Kakariko watchtower, waiting for Telma to call us down for food. As a professional, she's handling the catering.

Shad glances out. "Ah, yes, I suppose. We're very… high up, though."

Ashei grins. "You're scared of heights?"

"I am no such thing!"

I laugh, leaning forward. If I shift my balance at all, I'll probably fall. The thought sends a shock through me, and I lean back a little. Contrary to what everyone thinks, courage and recklessness aren't the same thing.

At least, not always.

"Link, Shad, Ashei!" Ilia calls. "Telma said to tell you to come down!"

Shad and Ashei begin making their way down the tower. I follow them down to the second platform, then jump from there.

What? I said courage and recklessness aren't _always_ the same thing.

Ilia screams. So does Shad. Ashei just rolls her eyes. I whoop, landing easily and rolling back to my feet. "Last one back to the Inn is a Stallord skull!"

The other three yell complaints after me as I sprint through the door and skid to a halt beside Telma. "Hey."

"Did you jump off the watchtower again?" Renado asks.

"Is that what the screaming was about?" Auru asks. "Oh, good. We were worried."

"You jumped off the-" Rusl shakes his head. "I swear you give me more grey hairs than all the kids combined. Why would you even do that?"

I shrug. "Faster than the ladder. Besides, I've jumped from higher places than that."

"Like what?" Shad asks, walking in with Ashei and Ilia.

"Well, let's see… Fighting that dragon in the City in the Sky, Stallord in the Arbiter's Grounds, various other enemies that liked knocking me off cliffs…" I grin. "Adventures are very lofty things."

Telma laughs. "You know, it's funny. You're perhaps half my age, but I'd bet everything I own that you've already seen more of the world than I ever will."

"And I don't plan on stopping any time soon," I tell her.

"That's good," Auru says. "It would be a shame if you decided to stop now. After all, you're the Hero of Light."

I groan. "Don't _call_ me that. It's stupid." Not that 'hero chosen by the gods' wasn't more stupid, but still.

"Are you insulting our queen's choices?" Rusl asks.

"Yes, I think I am," I say. "No offense intended towards Zelda, of course, but it's a stupid name."

"I think it sounds rather dignified," Renado says.

"I guess it's not all that fitting for Link, then," Ilia giggles.

A ripple of amusement runs through the group. I groan. "This is my thanks for saving the kingdom? You're horrible. All of you. Even that goddesses-damned _dragon_ wasn't this mean to me! In fact, I don't think _Ganondorf_ was this mean to me!"

Then the door bangs open. Gor Coron sticks his head in. "I am sorry to interrupt… but we have a problem."

…

"Holy Farore."

That's all I can think to say. Death Mountain has turned as dark as it was when the twilight covered it. Fingers crossed it's not that again though; I don't exactly want to show my friends the… _other_ me.

"Holy Farore," I repeat, glancing up at the summit. Why do I feel like this is all for me? Whoever is up there is putting on quite the show. I reach for my sword. It's not the Master Sword, but I suppose it'll do…

"Holy Farore is right," Ashei mutters. "Let's get to the bottom of this quickly, yeah?"

I nod, taking off up the mountain with Ashei, Rusl, and Auru at my heels. The Triforce of Courage flares up, as if sensing a fight. I can't help a smile at the comforting warmth of its power, even if I still haven't figured out what exactly it _does_…

I skid to a halt. "What in the name of Din's great flaming feet is _that_?!"

"Well, I can honestly say I've never heard _that_ before…" Ashei mutters. "But I understand the sentiment."

In front of us stands… a thing. It's a giant scorpion, I think. With eyes in its claws.

I shrug. Honestly, it's not the strangest thing I've seen. "Okay, sure. This is… manageable." I reach for my bow.

Oh, wait. My bow's in Ordon. As is… most of my gear, actually. Talk about bad planning. "On second thought…"

The scorpion leaps. I dodge, dragging Rusl with me. Ashei and Auru duck the other way. "Run!" I scream, shoving Rusl ahead of me and grabbing Auru's wrist. Ashei would kill me if I tried to help her, so I just gesture wildly. Auru barely ducks before I decapitate him with my movements; I'd forgotten I was holding my sword. I mutter an apology.

"It's fine," he replies, running to the grating and beginning to climb. "Just don't do it again."

Rusl and Ashei have already reached the top; they toss the biggest rocks available down at the scorpion, sending it skittering back and buying us time. I sheathe my sword and climb as fast as I can. As Auru and I climb out of range of its stinger, the scorpion buries itself in the dirt and vanishes.

"Well," I say after a minute. "That was… interesting."

"That's one word for it," Rusl mutters. "Come on. Let's keep going."

The four of us scramble up the mountain step by step. Last time I was here, I had to fend off Gorons attempting to defend their home. This reminds me more of the first time, though; a lonely wolf with an imp on his back wandering a silent mountain looking for shadow bugs. At least I can talk this time.

The Gorons' city is unnervingly quiet, the Gorons themselves having fled down the mountain as soon as the storm became clearly magical. Not even the wind makes a sound. I try to walk silently; it feels almost sacrilegious to break the silence.

"What is going on?" Ashei murmurs. It seems she feels the same way about making noise.

"I don't know," Auru replies softly. "Stay close, all of you. And be careful." We all nod.

My instincts are going off like bells in my head, _danger, danger_. This is _wrong_. I don't like it. There's something coming, I can feel it in the air. Something old and almost-familiar. A… presence. A whisper in the air, _run away_. I want to obey it. But something else, something deeper, tells me I can't.

A laugh splits the air and the power of the Triforce blazes. It's glowing brightly now. I swallow, trying to bring my emotions under control.

"Well, well, well…" drawls a voice. "You've come a long way, sky child."

A jolt runs through me. "I don't know what you're talking about. We've never met."

"Really?" comes the reply. "Ah, of course. It was lifetimes ago. This incarnation has no memories of the previous ones." A sigh. "I should have thought of that."

I draw my sword. "Who are you?!" Adrenaline screams through me. My hands are shaking.

The figure steps forward, bowing gracefully. He's pale, dressed in diamond patterned clothes. His white hair falls over one dark eye rimmed with purple. "Of course, where are my manners. I am Ghirahim, Demon Lord. I'm sure you don't remember, but you defeated my master the last time he rose. I am here to prevent a… similar outcome."

"You worked for Ganondorf?"

Ghirahim rolls his eyes. "As dense as ever." He vanishes, reappearing behind me with his hands on my shoulders. "Of course not. Now, be a good boy and drop your sword."

I swing at him in response. He teleports again. "Come now, sky child. If you keep fighting, it won't end well."

I raise my sword, keeping it between the two of us. "I fought the Evil King. You don't scare me." It's not a lie. I'm not scared, just… wary. I wish fleetingly for the Master Sword and Midna's advice; with those I wouldn't be even slightly worried.

"I was talking about your friends," Ghirahim hums, brushing back his hair. "You don't want them getting caught in the crossfire, do you?" He raises a hand.

"Link!"

"Colin!" I spin around. Bulblins have congregated during our distraction, each holding a captive. Talo, Malo, Colin, Beth, Ralis, Shad… Ilia… "Let them go!"

Each monster holds a dagger to its captive's throat. Ghirahim chuckles. "I'll ask once more, sky child. Drop. Your. Sword."

"How do I know you won't just kill them anyway?"

Ghirahim outright giggles this time. "Don't be stupid. You don't know. I could snap my fingers and have their heads off in a second if I so chose. Of course, if you surrender I may decide to kill them anyway. However, I may let them go. I'd say it's about fifty-fifty at the moment. But if you keep fighting, I will definitely kill them. You may defeat me, but your friends will all be dead. So what's it to be? Survive at the cost of their lives, or give them a chance?"

I can't help but hesitate. "Well…"

The others yell in refusal. "Link, no!"

"It's not worth it!"

"We'll be fine!"

I ignore them, meeting the demon's gaze. "Swear it," I demand quietly. "Swear that if I surrender, you will allow them to leave unharmed."

Ghirahim considers this. "Hm… It seems reasonable enough. And I always liked the sky child. So… why not? You have a deal."

I nod, slowly allowing my sword to clatter to the ground. Ghirahim laughs delightedly, kicking the blade away. I twitch in an attempt to stop myself from throttling him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asks.

…If I'm being honest, I am, in a way. Having lives on the line is a much greater thrill then jumping from the watchtower or other things I can do in peacetime; I know I'll survive. The rush isn't as powerful. But now, knowing I could easily die… I'm enjoying it far more than I should and I know it, but the hero's spirit has always been set to self-destruct. It's part of the deal. Courage, strength, and reckless pursuit of excitement.

"Don't be stupid. Also, if you're going to kill me, would you hurry up? I have ancestors I'm just _dying_ to meet." Despite the situation, there's a general groan from everyone intelligent enough to understand the comment. "Come on, that was funny."

"That was _awful_," Ghirahim corrects. "I should kill you for that alone."

All levity aside, I'm shaking. Maybe I've only just realised that _oh Goddesses, he is actually going to kill me_. "What are you going to do, exactly? …If you don't mind me asking."

"Are you frightened?" the demon asks. "Well, it's a little trick I picked up off a false Demon King a while ago. Mall… Mallory, maybe? Malady? Mal-something. In any case, I had to… deal with him. My master doesn't like people attempting to steal his title. But before I did, I learned a trick he used to defeat his enemies. My master specifically told me to destroy the hero _before_ he came back this time, so…" He shrugs. "No more hero's spirit, no more heroes. It's simple enough."

Apparently that's enough talk for him; he flicks his fingers at me and I'm frozen. I can't move an inch, no matter how much I struggle. "Come now, sky child," he chides. "If you hadn't been so rude to me, all this would be unnecessary. It's your own fault."

If I could, I'd be swearing right now. Instead, I just narrow my eyes at him. He laughs. "This is so much easier than last time." Electricity crackles around his fingers. "Now… let's end this, shall we?"

He opens his hand, and the lightning flies into me. It's agony, like I'm being ripped apart from the inside out. Ghirahim's spell must have released me when the lightning struck; I curl up, a high whining keen slipping from my mouth no matter how hard I try to stop it.

The others are screaming, begging Ghirahim to stop, let me go. Silly, really. We made a deal; he's not going to back down now. That's how it works.

Something's being torn out of me, I feel it. Honestly, I expected dying to be a little less traumatic. A brief pain, dark, light, and the Goddesses smiling down. But apparently not.

The pain increases, and I _shriek_. I can't help it. Dammit, just… "Kill me!" I manage to force out. "Just kill me, dammit!" Tears are streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. Make it stop, make it stop… It's too much. Nothing I've ever done has hurt as much as this.

I manage to meet Ghirahim's eyes. "End it. Please."

He nods. "As you wish." He clenches a fist.

There's one more flash of pain, then I'm gone.

…

_***~Colin~***_

"Kill me! Just kill me, dammit!"

Those words shatter every remaining shred of hope I have. Never in my life did I ever so much as think that _Link_ of all people would… give in. He can't die like this, desperate and pained, begging for death, not after all he's done for Hyrule, for us.

"This is all our fault," Ilia whispers beside me. "If we weren't here…"

I can't help but agree. If we hadn't been stupid enough to get ourselves captured, then Link would have beaten this guy into the ground and returned to the village for dinner already. Instead, he's… _dying_. But we'd been too distracted. By the time we noticed the bulblins outside it was too late to fight them off.

I turn my attention back to the events unfolding. They're talking quietly, Link and Ghirahim, eyes fixed on each other, too quiet for us to hear. The demon nods and clenches a fist.

Link goes completely limp, a soft sigh sliding out. A faint orb of light rises from his body and orbits around the demon. Ghirahim scoops it up, bottles it, and slides it into a pocket. "There," he says calmly. "That's that done."

As he speaks, Link's body dissolves into nothingness. Ghirahim smiles. "Come now, Hylia. What are you going to do with that?"

There's no answer. He seems… sad, I think suddenly. As though he didn't want this any more than we did. "Pity, really. He was a fierce one."

Then he turns to us. He's going to go back on the deal, isn't he? He's going to kill us, and Link's sacrifice will be for nothing.

"…Well, a deal's a deal, as they say. Release them!"

The bulblins let go, shoving us away. "Go on, then. Get moving."

"You're just going to let us go?" Talo asks. He sounds as confused as I feel. Demons can't be trusted, everyone knows that…

Ghirahim shrugs. "Well, yes. Unlike some lesser demons, I am a creature of honour. The hero and I had an arrangement; he fulfilled his part, so I will fulfill mine." He waves a hand gracefully. "You'll want to leave quickly. My master won't be as understanding."

We go. What else can we do? Without Link… it's amazing how vulnerable I feel. And I still can't believe…

"He's gone," Shad murmurs dully, disbelievingly. Still just as in shock as the rest of us.

Ashei shakes her head. "He can't be. He _can't_ be."

Auru sighs. "It seems he is, all the same."

Rusl spins suddenly, ramming his fist into the cliff face. "Dammit!" he screams.

"Rusl-"

"Dad-"

He ignores us, burying his head in his hands. "I swore that I'd protect him! He wasn't supposed to- I was supposed to prevent this!"

Auru grabs him around the shoulders. "There was nothing any of us could have done. Link knew the risks before he went up that mountain. We all did! Besides, at the moment… we have to prepare for war."

"War?" I ask quietly.

"That demon is resurrecting a demon king," Shad says quietly. "Judging from my research… he will be going after Demise himself. The Hero of Legend defeated him, a long time ago… He carried the hero's spirit, like… Link."

Telma comes running out to meet us before anyone can respond. "What in Din's name happened out there? All I heard were people screaming." A quiet suspicion creeps into her gaze as she looks us over. "Where's Link?" she asks, with the tone of someone who already knows the answer. No one can meet her gaze.

Various curses and disbelieving noises fill the air. I can't blame them; I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't been there. Link is—was—always the dependable warrior. He could make it out of any fight with only scratches to show for it. And now he's just… gone. But… "We need to go," I say. All eyes turn towards me. "If that bastard Ghirahim is really resurrecting the demon king, we can't stay here. None of us can."

Auru nods. "He's right. We have to get to Castle Town and warn Queen Zelda."

We all agree, setting about our various tasks. We try to ignore the moment where time and space seem to bend and twist, pretend we aren't fully aware of what it means.

The demon king has risen.

…

_***~Eighth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~?~***_

I'm drowning again.

They seem to like this particular torture. I've heard they even tried it on a Zora once. I would have paid to see that. But I, sadly, am not a Zora, and therefore cannot breathe underwater. So the bastard king sent his men to stick my head in a bucket for a while. What fun.

On the bright side, there's only one man here. The others, apparently, don't think watching a ten year old struggle for a few hours is amusing anymore. I have to agree; after the first week, the novelty wears off pretty damn fast.

They came after me because they think I can talk to spirits. I told them they wrong, of course. They didn't believe me, for some reason.

I have to admit, talking to the spirit of one of the old Resistance leaders didn't help my case much.

In any case, here I am, with my head in a bucket and trying to hold my breath. The glamour of a high-profile assassin. I'm going to die in a dungeon with a guard breathing down my neck. Not even a demon! Just a regular Hylian traitor. As if getting caught wasn't degrading enough.

Alright, I'm done. I'm breaking out of here if it's the last thing I do. The stone holding my chains in place has been weakened by decades of water splashing against it, and the chains aren't properly secured. With the help of a little magic, I can easily break them off.

The next time the guard lets me up for air, I'm ready. With a sharp cracking noise, one of the chains holding me in place snaps loose; in a quick gesture, I have it looped around the guard's throat and dragging him into the bucket. Let's see how _he_ likes it! I'm not strong enough to hold him in place for long, of course, but by the time he breaks loose he's out of breath and gasping. That gives me the perfect window to punch him in the throat and take his keys.

I undo my chains and fasten them around the guard's wrists. They won't hold him long, of course, but with any luck they'll distract him long enough that he won't call for help until I'm long gone.

I slip out the door, grabbing a cloak and draping it over myself as I do. I'm probably dirty enough that it's unnecessary, even with the whole bucket thing, but better safe than sorry. I cast a basic illusion spell, too; it won't hold up to close inspection, but hopefully it'll shield me from any wandering eyes, at least until I've escaped the castle grounds.

It doesn't take long before I'm utterly lost. The dungeons are creepy, too. Full of all sorts of vengeful spirits. They won't attack me… at least, probably not… but their constant whispering is unnerving, to say the least. But I need them, if I'm going to find someone to lead me out of here.

Ah. Hello, guide.

This particular spirit is too powerful to just be one soul; three or four strong ones, or six or so more average ones. Maybe more. They're tied together by powerful magic, but they all seem to have some knowledge of the dungeon's layout. I reach out to touch their minds-

Damn, they're strong. And angry. Possession spirits, or… no, not possession, but… similar. I don't have a name for them. Tagalongs. They connect to living people and ride around in their bodies like nobles in a carriage.

One of them jerks, gives slightly in surprise. For a moment, they're still. I take advantage of that moment, forcing them down as best I can. "Show me the way out."

They're fighting it more fiercely than any other spirit I've seen. I can't bind them properly or dismiss them. At this rate I'll be trapped until the guards come looking for me. "Come on, help me out a little. Please?"

One of them whispers something to me. A request. It seems simple enough, if time consuming, but four powerful spirits might help keep the demons off my back, at least…

It's not as though I have much choice, anyway.

"I swear on the souls of my ancestors, it shall be as you say."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimed. **

…

_Chapter Two: In Which The Resistance Makes A Friend_

_Once there was an angel, the guardian of a fair lady. He served her faithfully for many a long year. _

_But then he was locked away in penance for a crime he did not commit and was left to rot. When he was released, it was to aid the very people who had imprisoned him, and the lady who had done nothing to protect he who had stood by her his whole life. And he did; he fought back the demon that threatened and sacrificed his life to defend his lady. So he fell, and he died, and the lady wept too little too late. _

_Then there was a boy who lived on an island with a girl, and he followed her to a world of demons far below. He fought and fought for her, but she ran when he appeared, did not even speak with him, allowing another to protect her in his place. She used him, she told him this, but still he was loyal…_

_The demon returned and he fought it as well, but he won his fight and returned to the girl. She smiled and asked him to stay and build a kingdom with her, but once the kingdom was finished he ran. He fled far into the wilderness to hunt for something new and was never heard from again. _

_Then came another boy living in a forest, defended by a powerful guardian. Then the guardian was attacked and he went to the aid of a princess who sent him on a quest. He did his part, but found things getting worse the more he fought. And then he released an evil beast into a realm of light and forced him out again, and the princess sent him back to before his quest first started. _

_And then there was a farm boy living in a village that wasn't his by birth. He aided them for his whole life, and when things went bad he set off to find those taken from them and bring them home. In this way, he found himself drawn into a war. He fought a great evil and saved two realms, and then he returned home. But the village wasn't the same for him, and a year later, he returned to the field. He climbed a mountain, fought and died, and his spirit was locked away as an ancient demon returned to life. _

_And so the story comes to an end once more. But it's been said that a new hero will always rise when Hyrule needs them. So we'll just have to wait and see…_

…

_***~Thirteenth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~Colin~***_

The queen is dead.

We just got the news a few minutes ago. After thirteen years in hiding, Zelda has been caught and executed. Ashei told us; she had been there, and been charged with the duty of taking the queen's infant son to hide with King Ralis in the Zora's Domain until he's old enough to reclaim his throne.

Don't they know that's not how it works? The hero saves the kingdom and the heir takes over. But the hero is long dead, and even if there were a new one, according to Shad there can only be one at a time, so he'd be thirteen at most…

Ilia sighs, flopping down beside Telma. "What now? Without Zelda…"

"There must be a way," Shad murmurs. "I'm close to a breakthrough…"

He's been saying that for months. I don't think anyone believes him anymore. I'm not entirely sure anyone believes anything anymore, after so long without any hope…

It's time we changed to a happier topic. "I saw Ayla today," I say in what Talo has dubbed my 'This-is-not-good-let's-change-the-subject' voice. "She's doing well. Renado is taking good care of her and Mum."

"Oh, good," Telma says, allowing the change of subject. "Rusl will be pleased."

"How's Luda doing?" Shad asks. "Is Dr. Borville treating her well?"

I sigh. "As well as can be expected. At least it's a well-paying job."

A few years ago, Luda, having plenty of knowledge when it came to medical things, got a job at Dr. Borville's clinic. After all, even resistances need funding. She's doing well; between her, Malo and Telma's bar, we've got plenty of rupees. It's a strange thought; when this started, we were all children. Now we're running a rebellion.

_Knock knock knock_

The knocking is desperate, panicked. "Colin!" Luda's voice calls. "Open the door! Hurry!"

"Yeah!" Talo adds. His voice is strained. "You'd better move fast! We have a problem!"

It's Telma and Ilia who get up and run to the door. Ilia murmurs something very unusual for a lady. Telma hisses. "Bring him inside! Quickly!"

Him? I stand to see what's happening. "Holy Farore."

Talo's holding a boy in his arms; he's slender, almost wraithlike, with messy blond hair stained red and tan skin paled to almost white by blood loss. He's young, maybe fourteen or fifteen at most. Too young. There's blood dripping steadily from a deep looking wound across his abdomen.

"Set him down there," Telma directs, gesturing towards a wooden board off to one side. "Colin, fetch some bandages. Ilia, get the potions."

We burst into a frenzy of movement, gathering and prepping and aiding Ilia, Telma and Luda as much as we can as they do their best to save the boy. I end up holding his arms down as Luda stitches up his wounds. It's harder than I expected; he's thrashing wildly, and he's stronger than he looks. I wouldn't be surprised to find some sort of supernatural power at play.

In any case, we finish eventually, and Ilia fetches a blanket and drapes it over the boy. "I'll keep an eye on him," I offer quietly. "I can wake you if anything changes."

The others nod and traipse off with a chorus of goodnights. I shift closer, absently brushing the messy blond hair out of the boy's face. Looking closely, his features appear rather… feminine. It seems to fit the rest of his body, in a way. I sigh, pushing my chair back and settling down to wait.

It must be near the witching hour when I stir and glance over at the boy to see the figure crouched over him. I move to shout; the man—I think it's a man, anyway—looks up and shakes his head. I can't see his eyes, covered by the edge of the ragged cloak he wears, but his lips curl up into a wry smile.

He bows like an Ordonian would; back straight, not very pretty, but passable. There's something almost-mocking in the gesture. Then his lips part, and a voice like the rustle of dead leaves emerges.

"Missing your precious hero, boy?"

And he's gone, like he was never there to begin with.

…

_***~?~***_

Sky's singing again.

"…_And the hero fell and the demon rose, but that's not how the story goes. So the hero rose and the demon fell, and then our story ended well."_

"I don't think Light likes it when you sing that," I tell him. The spirit brushes against me, warm as a summer breeze.

"Light isn't here right now. What he doesn't know won't kill him."

"Nothing will kill him," Shade points out, wandering over to join us. "He's already dead." The poor dear never did understand sayings.

Sky says as much. The two of them degenerate into squabbling children. I ignore them, focusing instead on attempting to draw a mental image of my four stowaways.

I've only ever spoken to three of them separately; while they joined together when we first met, they split apart after I allowed them into my head. The fourth hasn't deigned to speak with me since. The others only refer to him as Elder, or sometimes First. But I know more about the others.

Sky is the oldest of the three. He's also pretty short, with brown hair. He's friendly enough to me. He also plays peacekeeper. A lot. Light and Shade get into a lot of fights, and they never listen to me.

Shade is the next oldest, and the tallest. He's got a ponytail. I don't think he likes me. Sky says it's because I remind him of someone. I think he's just an ass. And his attitude must've rubbed off on Light, because he doesn't like me either.

Light's the youngest. He's short; it's a common joke among the others. He's also the only one who can take on a physical form outside of my head, even though it is nearly transparent. And he's the rudest bastard you'll ever meet. Sky says he's sensitive. Shade usually then yells at him about losing the body, whatever that means. Then Light points out that Sky's the one who cursed the line, and Sky says he's never had fleas. Then the other two start yelling and I get a migraine.

In any case, it's hard to get specific descriptions of them. They do float around my head invisibly, after all. So even after five years, I've never actually seen them. I wouldn't mind, it's just… they are in _my_ head.

"Don't whine so much." Light arrives in a gust of wind, nearly knocking me over.

Sky mutters something along the lines of "Bitter little brat."

"What was that?"

"Nothing." The older spirit takes his leave, and I start quietly praying to wake up before my tenant starts talking to me.

Of course, I couldn't possibly be that lucky.

"You should be more careful," Light mutters. "How am I going to find it if you get yourself killed?"

There he goes again. They've never actually told me what it is I'm supposed to be finding for them; all they've said is I'll know it when I see it. "It would make things a lot easier if you'd tell me what it is I'm looking for…"

The spirit sighs. "Not for me to say. Besides, it's… complicated."

"Literally every one of you has said it's not for him to say. How am I supposed to find something when I don't know what it is?"

"Stop complaining," the other replies. "You should be thanking me, you know. Even with the Resistance's aid, your wounds were mortal."

I frown. "I didn't know you were a healer."

"There are certain advantages to my… state of being." Evasive. He's always so evasive.

"One would think you'd prefer me dead. Much simpler to possess a dead body than to hide inside a living one." We've had this conversation before. I know what he'll say next.

"I would agree, if it weren't for the fact that we are not possession spirits. Possessing a body is darker magic than any of us were trained for… Except the Elder, possibly, but he refuses to teach us any of his tricks." For a second he sounds like a petulant child whose parents have refused to teach him swordplay.

"Dark_er_?" I repeat. "You make it sound as though you were trained in some dark magic."

"Some, yes," he agrees. "It was a necessity, in… my line of work." Will he ever stop avoiding my questions?

Then again, this is the most any of them have ever told me about their lives. "Light, please. What am I looking for? The others keep talking about a body; we're not actually…"

Light hesitates. "You'll… know it when you see it," is all he says.

"If you are actually making me find you a body, I will slap you," I inform him. "I don't care that you don't have a physical form, I will slap you."

"We'll see," comes the reply. He hums thoughtfully. "I believe I'll leave you to sleep now. You'll wake soon enough."

"But-"

"Sweet dreams." There's a hesitant touch of a warm breeze against my shoulder, and then he's gone, leaving me with more questions than answers and the vaguest hint of a smile.

…

I drift into regular dreams then. Well, regular for me. When I sleep, my thoughts and memories, my hopes and fears mix with those of my boys—not that I'd ever call them that to their invisible faces—and create a twisted dreamscape, dark and bloody and full of faceless terrors. I know what it is to die, now. I've felt four different versions of it. Never anything specific, just enough to grasp the pain. None of them died easy. They took their enemies with them, for the most part. For the most part, though, I only get the vaguest of recollections.

_Regret_. Failure and agony greater than any I've felt.

_Uncertainty_. Lost, alone, betrayed and abandoned.

_Fear_. A lost child, not knowing where to turn.

_Bitterness_. A bone-deep weariness that can't be fought against.

Acceptance, too; the kind you feel when you're so tired of fighting you can't bear to go on. I know these emotions, of course, but when four others feel it so deeply, it's draining. I try to pull their thoughts and mine towards happier memories. Smiling faces and joyful calls, watching those they trained grow strong and brave. There's an undercurrent of grief, then, thinking of protégés long gone. These are old spirits, and most if not all of those they knew are dead.

But I can't help them. The names and faces float by too quickly for me to tell them apart, much less understand them. All I catch are glowing eyes, green hair, a warm smile… Faded images that flicker like a dying fire.

My eyes slide open and I sit up, ignoring the twinge of pain in my stomach at the motion. "Mm… Wha…?"

Movement on the left. I leap off the board I was laying on, hand reaching for a dagger that isn't there. I crouch, ready to run-

"Hey, hey. It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." The man I'd noticed holds his hands up, blue eyes wide. "We found you bleeding outside and brought you here. Your stuff is just upstairs. Nothing to worry about." His voice reminds me of Light, a little; quiet and almost calming.

"Who are you?" I glance at him, calculating. "Why did you help me?"

"I'm Colin," he replies carefully. "I helped you because… well… you were bleeding out on our doorstep. What were we supposed to do, leave you?"

I shake my head. "No one just helps people in this day and age. Tell me the truth."

Footsteps on the stairs. Dammit… his friends are awake. If it comes to a fight, I'm in trouble.

"Colin?" a voice calls down. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" he replies. "Wait there for a minute, alright?"

I purse my lips, slipping towards the door. "You helped me. I'd rather not kill you."

"Unless you're working for the bastard who calls himself king, you won't have to try."

My eyes widen in realisation. "You're the Resistance, aren't you?"

My boys stir in curiosity, a wave of amusement floating off them. '_Trust them_,' comes Light's opinion. The others agree.

"Yes," Colin murmurs. "Yes, we are."

I smile. "Well then, sir, it appears we're on the same side."

…

_***~Colin~***_

His eyes are red.

They're _blood-fucking-red._

I hold up my hands, eyes wide. "Hey, hey. It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. We found you bleeding outside and brought you here. Your stuff is just upstairs. Nothing to worry about." The way he's looking at me reminds me of Link when he first met Renado and Barnes. Wary, suspicious, slightly nervous. Edging into the realm of uncertainty. The boy seems more paranoid than justly worried, though. To be fair, he's grown up in a war zone. And I imagine that look is common in warriors.

"Who are you?" he asks, still crouched and tense. "Why did you help me?"

"I'm Colin," I reply, trying to make myself as nonthreatening as possible. "I helped you because… well… you were bleeding out on our doorstep. What were we supposed to do, leave you?"

He shakes his head, eyes narrowed. "No one just helps people in this day and age. Tell me the truth." His voice rises slightly towards the end. It sends a pang of sadness through me; no one this young should be so distrustful.

Footsteps sound from above. Someone's up, probably woken by the sound of voices when the bar's closed. "Colin?" Luda calls. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" I call back quickly. "Wait there for a minute, alright?" She doesn't answer, but I know she understands.

The boy purses his lips, edging away from me towards the door. "You helped me," he murmurs. "I'd rather not kill you."

"Unless you're working for the bastard who calls himself king, you won't have to try."

Red eyes open wide. "You're the Resistance, aren't you?" he breathes. Something flickers in his gaze. Is it my imagination, or does the faintest hint of violet appear?

"Yes," I murmur, deciding to ignore it. "Yes, we are."

He smiles. It makes him seem years younger. "Well then, sir, it appears we're on the same side." He settles down cross-legged on the board he's been laying on since he got here. "Well met."

I flop back into my chair. "I should call the others down. If you don't mind…?"

He tilts his head in acquiescence, ignoring my silent question. "Feel free." He leans back, running a hand through messy blond hair. "Ask them to bring my things, please."

"Right." I turn to shout up the stairs. "You can come down now! Bring our guest's things, will you?"

And then we wait, this mystery boy and I. We don't speak. Those red eyes never look away from me. I'm not sure he even blinks, unless he's synchronising it to my own blinking. I can't help but wonder where he learned to do that. I can feel his stare even when I look away.

"Oh! You're awake!"

The boy turns away to look at Ilia, red eyes assessing her and then glancing away to watch the stairs. When Telma arrives, carrying the bundle containing his gear, he leans forward, waiting impatiently for her to put it down beside him. Then he turns away, sliding various things into hidden pockets, before turning back to us, holding a delicate lyre.

"Hello," he says calmly. There's a general chorus of responding greetings.

"I've never seen a Hylian with red eyes before," Shad comments. Ashei smacks him.

The boy just smiles pleasantly. "Well, Shad, that's because I'm not Hylian."

The scholar glances at me. "You told him our names?"

I just shake my head, mystified. The boy laughs softly. "I do my research. I know all your names; it's matching them to your faces that's the problem."

"Really?" Talo asks. "What's my name, then?"

The boy frowns, glancing upwards. "…Talo."

"Wow."

As impressive as it is, I'm sick of this little game he's playing. "It hardly seems fair. You know all our names, but we don't know yours."

The boy smiles, red eyes sliding shut for a moment. "Ah, he was right. You're correct, it's hardly fair that I have such an advantage." He leans forward, eyes meeting mine. He's testing my will; trying to make me look away. I wait. After a minute he chuckles warmly.

"Very well. My name is Sheik."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimed.**

…

_Chapter Three: In Which Things Escalate Very Quickly _

_***~Eighth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~Light~***_

The boy is stronger than I expected.

I was the one who suggested making a deal with him; Sheik, I believe his name was. We needed someone to find it for us, I'd argued; four disembodied spirits can't do a huge amount. It was only logical.

Sky agreed immediately, and Angel said it was a decent plan. Shade had to agree after that, albeit grudgingly. And it was! The boy is strong enough to take us where we need to go, and then everything will go back to the way it was. Easy.

Oh, I can't _wait_! I can fix everything once I have a physical form again, I'm sure of it! I'll save everyone, and things will go back to the way they were. Dangerous, sure, but not hard.

The others have warned me it won't be that simple. They've said the path ahead is long, and will almost certainly end in some form of tragedy, even if I succeed. But they're wrong. They have to be wrong. I'm going to win this. I'm going to save _everyone_, no matter what I have to do.

…

_***~Thirteenth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~Sheik~***_

"Ordon?" I look up from my daggers, meeting Colin's gaze. He nods.

"Ordon. It's a small farming village on the other side of Faron Woods; Demise hasn't found it yet."

A wave of satisfaction washes over me. "I know where it is. I've been there."

Blue eyes narrow. "I've lived there most of my life, and I have never seen you there."

"Not being seen and not being there are two very different things. So, why are we going to Ordon?"

"Looking for information about the hero's spirit," Shad supplies, straightening his glasses.

After a month with these guys, it's become pretty clear they're trying to locate this 'hero's spirit' thing. Waste of time, if you ask me. But, in this case… "Ordon… Hero… Oh, I know someone who might be able to help!"

"If it's Rusl, that's who we're going to see," Colin says. "He's my father."

I shake my head. "No, not him. I'll tell you when we get there. When do we leave?"

"As soon as the girls are packed."

"Not for another hour or two, then?" I ask. The others laugh.

…

"Finally!" I sigh, basically collapsing over the saddle. "I thought we'd never get out of the city."

At long last we've reached Hyrule Field. From here it's a three day ride to Ordon, maybe two if we hurry. But it would take longer if I were on my own and walking, so I don't complain.

"Link could make this trip in under a day," Talo whines. "How did he manage that?"

"Epona," Ilia replies. "I swear that horse has magic in her blood."

"As demonstrated by the fact she hasn't aged at all in thirteen years," Luda agrees. "And she teleports."

I frown, patting my own horse's neck. "If this horse is so amazing, why don't we call her? That way everyone can have their own horse." It turns out the Resistance doesn't have extra horses, so Luda lent me hers. Now she's riding double with Colin.

Colin sighs. "Epona doesn't listen to anyone. It used to be Link and sometimes Ilia could ride her, but after Link… left… she snapped. If anyone goes near her, she kicks them. I swear Bo flew a mile."

"Ah. Pity." I've noticed they never actually say that Link is dead. But judging from what they've told me, he kind of is… Hm. Maybe my… friend will know more.

'_Friend?'_ Light asks suspiciously.

'_Doesn't matter. You'll meet him soon enough.'_

He's still unsure, but he sinks back to wherever it is in my head he lives. Judging from the dull headache that begins to emerge, he's sulking. I sigh. "Well, then, if it's a three day journey, we should get started." I click my tongue and goad my horse forward.

…

_***~Light~***_

Three days.

Three days before I find out who, exactly, the kid is going to see. No matter how hard we look, none of us can find anything about his mystery friend.

"How much longer?"

"About three hours less than the last time you asked," Sky replies, eyes fixed on the book in his hands. I'm not sure where he got that from, all things considered. It's best not to ask.

I sprawl across Shade's lap with a dramatic moan. "I'll die of boredom before we get there!"

He shoves me off. "Oh, stop complaining. You'll be fine."

I stick out my tongue, curling up beside Sky and giving him a flash of puppy eyes. He sighs, ruffling my hair. "Maybe they'd move quicker if you'd stop giving the poor boy a headache. Besides, you've been to Ordon; who do you think he's visiting?"

I consider this for a moment, frowning. "…Oh, he _wouldn't_."

Shade sighs. "Oh, he would."

…

_***~Sheik~***_

It's nice to see that Ordon hasn't changed much.

I haven't been here for almost a year now, but the buildings and people are all the same. I hitch the horse up outside the house Colin tells me was Link's and tell them I'll wait inside while they talk to Rusl. "Besides," I point out, "I need to find my friend anyway."

As soon as they've gone outside, I fetch the lantern from its peg by the ladder to the basement, light it, and head down. The shadows cast by its glow flicker oddly over the gear Link left behind when he left for the last time. A bow, the Gale Boomerang, clawshots, bomb bags, ball and chain, all sorts of things. And an empty scabbard where the Master Sword once sat. Just looking at it, I can feel the power of that legendary blade. But that's not what I'm here for.

I make my way to the mirror in the corner and blow out the lantern, setting it down at my feet. Then I knock on the frame three times. "Dark!" I hiss. "Dark!"

My reflection, just visible in the half-light from the ladder, shifts and morphs into a young man a few years older than me. The only truly visible feature are his vivid blue eyes, seeming to glow from a night-black face. _"It's about damn time you came to visit,"_ he complains. _"It's been months, Sheiky! Months!"_

"Yes, I know," I reply calmly. "Look, I didn't come here alone. The Resistance is looking for the hero's spirit; can you help?"

"_Oh, I see,"_ Dark pouts. _"Strictly business. Not so much as a hello! I get bored, you know, stuck in this goddesses-damned mirror! My stupid Light and his stupid parents and their stupid spells…"_

"Hello, Dark, it's good to see you. You know what I'm looking for. I know that Shade told you. Stop stalling and tell me how- Oh, hi Shad."

The scholar nearly falls down the ladder. "It's pitch black down here," he complains.

"Here." I walk over, grab his arm, and pull him back to the mirror. "Introduce yourself."

"To the mirror?" he asks skeptically.

"No, to the being residing in a pocket dimension within the mirror. Dark, come say hello to the dear scholar."

Dark pops back into view. _"Hello, Shad! My Light told me all about you."_

"L-Link?" he gasps. Dark rolls his eyes.

"_Nope. I'm your Link's shadow. His… antithesis, if you will. The dark to his light, and so I'm called Dark. Not much of a name, but it's mine."_ He grins. _"Basically, I'm his morally ambiguous twin. Sheiky said you were looking for the hero's spirit?"_

"_This_ is who you wanted to talk to?" Shad asks, askance. "Link's evil doppelgänger?"

I shrug. "He isn't evil as such. Misguided, yes. He is, quite literally, the hero's dark side. All of your Link's rejected impulses go here."

"_Mmhm,"_ Dark hums_. "Like, every time he stops himself from doing something because it'd be 'wrong', the impulse comes to me. I don't have his self control, though."_

I roll my eyes. "As touching as this is, I need answers, Dark. How can we find your Light?"

"_Well, I could track him…"_ he muses_. "Only problem is, you'd have to get me out of the mirror first. And the only thing that can get me out of the mirror is the Master Sword, which only my Light can wield. It's quite a pickle, really."_

I nod thoughtfully. "So to enlist your help, we have to bring the Master Sword here. That's… doable."

"How is that doable?" Shad asks. "Only the hero can wield the Master Sword!"

"Wield, yes. Hold… It depends. I can't use its full power, but I can use it for things like this, so long as I'm certain it will aid the hero." I shrug. "You're not the only one who can do research."

Shad shakes his head. "I've researched this thoroughly. Only the hero can draw the Master Sword from its pedestal, and only he can bear to hold it!"

I wave a hand airily. "I've done my own research, and I know I can do this. Wait here, and we'll see who's right." I head towards the ladder, then hesitate. "Dark, don't terrorise him."

"_You're no fun,"_ the shadow mutters, slouching against the mirror's frame.

I just laugh, boosting myself out of the basement. I'm sure Dark won't scar Shad _too_ much… But then again, I muse as I leave the house, Dark can be a bit… overzealous. Better make this quick.

"Sheik!" Colin calls, leading a man who I assume is his father over to me. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

I shrug. "Nowhere in particular. Just to the Sacred Grove to convince Skull Kid to lead me to the Master Sword so I can bring it back here and release the hero's dark side from the pocket dimension he's been locked in for the past thirty odd years in order to have him track the hero for us. A pleasure to meet you in person, Mister Rusl."

I brush past them, smirking to myself as I disappear under the shadows of the trees. It's a simple matter to pull myself up into the branches and hide from sight. So I travel to the bridge that way, leaping from tree to tree with all the grace I can manage.

Light snorts in disbelief. _'Dark? Really?'_

"Yes, Dark, really. Do you want me to find this thing or not?" I sigh. "He's the best chance we have to find the hero, and I bet that whatever it is you're looking for is in the same area."

There's no response. I nod, dropping down and strolling across the bridge into the woods proper. There's a peace here; Faron Woods are tricky to navigate, and perfectly secure. The villagers have come up with a way of keeping the monsters out, and Demise isn't interested in a tiny farming village on the edge of the forest.

I keep going, leaping along the path to the Sacred Grove and stepping into the silence of what people call the Lost Woods. Shade snorts; he knew the Lost Woods when he was alive, and they weren't here.

'_Actually,' _he informs me, '_this is where Castle Town used to be. There was a great battle at some time, and it was moved. Amazing how much this land has changed in five hundred years.'_

'_Yes,'_ Sky agrees. _'When I was alive, this place was called the Sealed Temple. There was a statue of Her Grace outside; I wonder what happened to it. Castle Town didn't even exist yet.'_

'_You two are so old,'_ Light mutters. I tacitly agree.

"Hello!" comes a new voice. "Have you come to play with me?"

I hum. "Hello, Skull Kid. Would you mind guiding me to the Temple?"

The puppet taps his chin thoughtfully. "I could, but what fun would that be? Play a game with me first."

'_You know, I think I'd almost prefer dealing with Majora than this overgrown twig.'_ "Of course I'll play with you," I tell him.

Light purrs in amusement like a cat. Shade is watching, curiosity sparking through him. '_Skull Kid…'_

Skull Kid shrugs. "I'll lead if you can follow." And he disappears in a shower of leaves.

I follow the glow of his lantern as it clanks along, fighting off his puppets when they appear. It's… fun, actually. I've missed puzzles like this.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take long before I'm utterly lost. "Okay, where do I go now…?"

'_I know!'_ Light laughs. _'Come on, I can get you to the sword from here!'_

I sigh, closing my eyes. "Alright, fine. Take me there."

It's an odd feeling whenever he takes on a physical form, like a part of me is being peeled away. It doesn't hurt, exactly, but it's strange. But then he's hovering in front of me, a melancholy figure in a tattered cloak. "I'll get you back to your guide first," he murmurs in that dry-leaf voice. "He shouldn't be hard to locate…"

He glides off, me following close behind. I have to admit, it's nice having company outside my head. As pleasant as the Resistance is, they can't compare to this silent understanding between Light and I. Sharing a brain is quite conducive to good relationships.

We find Skull Kid quickly. The creature smiles upon noticing Light. "Hello again! Have you come back to play with me?"

"Not this time," Light sighs. "I'll come back when all this has been sorted out, I promise."

The other sighs. "Well… I suppose, since it's so nice of you to come visit even in your… condition, I can take you directly to the sword, just this once. But you have to promise to come play with me later!"

I nod. "I promise. I definitely promise that I'll come back and play with you later."

The Skull Kid smiles and wanders off, lantern glowing brightly. Light follows, his own natural glow adding a soft sheen to everything around me. I trail after them, pausing here and there to take in the sights Light told me about with my own eyes. In this manner we make our way to the ruins once known as the Temple of Time, where the Master Sword lies.

Shade moves to the forefront of my mind. _'This place has really fallen apart,'_ he notes. _'It's a pity, really.'_

Skull Kid vanishes with a cheery wave. Light continues on. "Are you coming or not?" he demands. "You know I can't get very far from you."

"Alright, I'm coming." I turn away from the door leading to the past and dart down the steps to join him. "The sword is just past those statues, right?"

He nods, drifting through the opening between the guardians and up the stairs. I follow uncertainly; despite my bold words to Shad, I'm not entirely sure the Master Sword will allow me to play as temporary wielder.

'_You worry too much,'_ Sky chides. _'It'll be fine! You've got us with you, after all.'_

"I know that, but… I'm hardly the hero. What if it doesn't accept me? I've heard stories about what happens to people who try to take it…"

'_She'll accept you. I'm sure of it. In fact-'_

He's cut off by an outraged shriek from Light. "He's done something to it! _That Thrice-damned demon-serving __**dog**__ has done something to the Master Sword!"_

I gasp, running forward to join him. I can't see anything strange about the blade of evil's bane, but then, as I said to Sky, I'm not the hero. Light has literally turned red with rage, glowing brightly. It's hot, too; almost unbearably so. "Light! Calm down!"

"I will not calm down!" he shrieks. "That bastard laid his _filthy_ hands on the Master Sword! It wasn't enough to kill me, he had to fuck with my sword as well!"

It feels like he's sucking all the air from the clearing. I can't breathe, my skin is beginning to burn with the heat… "Light," I manage. "That hurts. Stop it."

'_Calm down, boy,'_ a new voice interrupts. Sky and Shade freeze. Light goes still, the power fleeing from him. _'There is no need to harm our vessel.'_

"A-Angel?" Light squeaks. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to-"

The new voice sighs, turning his attention to me. A shiver runs down my spine; this is the Elder, the one who's never spoken to me, and I can feel his ancient power in every word he speaks. _'Now, child. Draw the blade of evil's bane.'_

I nod, stepping forward and wrapping my hands around the hilt. I'm shaking. This is by far the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done. I mean, this is the _Master Sword_. There are songs written about this blade, and I know it's not for me to wield.

I pull. The Master Sword slides easily from its pedestal. Light smiles, floating a little to my right. "Well done," he praises easily. "Now, if we're going to free the shadow, let's get on with it."

The blade sits heavily in my hand. I'm no swordsman; I've always relied on stealth and my own stores of magic. It seems a waste for me to carry this sword. Perhaps I can lend it to Dark; as the hero's shadow, he might be able to wield it.

"That's not a bad idea," Light admits grudgingly. *But you know I'd teach you swordplay if you asked."

I shake my head. "We don't have time for that. Dark has all the hero's abilities, and it's in his own best interests to help us."

'_Stop complaining, my dear child,_' Shade hums. _'It'll work, and you know it.'_

Light grumbles, but subsides, dispelling his physical form and reappearing in my head. I chuckle, sheathing the Master Sword and trotting out of the clearing, ignoring my vague misgivings. What _did_ Ghirahim do to the Master Sword?

…

"I'm back," I call, swinging the Master Sword showily as I shut the door to Link's house. "Hey, Shad, I was right."

Colin stares at me. "That's Link's sword."

I nod. "Yes. And right now, I'm going to use it to release his shadow from a mirror. Want to watch?"

I'm nowhere near as confident as I hope I look. What if this doesn't work? What if Dark is, in fact, an enemy? What if-

'_You're worrying too much again,'_ Sky informs me.

Okay. I can do this. I swing myself onto the ladder and disappear into the basement, walking over to the mirror. "Dark?"

"_I'm here,"_ the shadow purrs, reappearing once more. His eyes light up. _"You got it!"_

I nod. "Yes, I got it. I'm… not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do with it now, though…"

He gestures towards me. _"Just pass me the sword."_

"Alright, then…" I press the hilt against the glass. Slender dark fingers reach out, curling around the grip. They're cold, like ice.

Something I can only describe as dark light and a quiet, ear-piercing noise fill the room, and I look away, pressing my hands over my ears and clenching my eyes shut. Cool arms wrap around me. "Well done, Sheiky," a voice laughs. "Well done!"

I look up, stepping back. It's strange to see Dark face to face, after speaking to him through the mirror for so long. His skin isn't as dark as it seemed to be; it's darkly tanned, sure, but it isn't the complete lack of light I thought it was, though it is close. His hair is still black as night, and his eyes glow with a blue light. He smiles. "Thank you," he purrs. "Thank you, thank you!"

"Shall we go introduce you to the others?" I ask.

He hesitates. "…The sun's going down, so it should be fine. Alright, let's go."

I nod, leading the way up the ladder. Dark follows, skirting around what patches of sunlight remain. There's no sign of the others. I sigh. "You wait here, at least until nightfall," I command. "I'll fetch the others."

"Alright." He frowns, holding out the Master Sword. "Do you want…?"

I shake my head. "You hang onto it." I shove it back toward him. "I'm no swordsman; it'll be better off with you."

"If you're sure." He ruffles my hair cheerily. "Find them before nightfall, or I'll come after you~!"

I laugh. "Yes, sir!" I call, stepping out the door.

Ah. So that's why the others were gone.

Monsters. Perhaps drawn by the magical energy of me drawing the Master Sword, but… there's an awful lot of them. It's unnerving, really. How did I not notice their arrival?

"Where the hell have you been?!" Colin yells. He's fighting off an absolutely massive bulblin astride a blue bulbo, and he's losing badly. Light grumbles something incomprehensible and gives me the mental equivalent of a nudge. I draw my daggers and drop down, ignoring the ladder.

"Gaining us a tracker!" I reply. "When did this happen?"

"Soon after you went down to the basement!" he calls back. "They came out of nowhere; the others are working on getting the villagers out!"

I nod, teleporting behind one of the bulblins and stabbing it in the back. Ooh, that looked _painful_. I dodge around a second monster's spear, raking a dagger across its throat and spinning to slash a third's stomach open. I've been told I make killing into an art form. It's times like these that I'm proud of that.

Colin's holding his own, barely; he's managed to send the bulbo running, leaving its rider behind. I toss a dagger at the bulblin, then go back to my own fight.

"Sheik- Look out!"

I spin to the side just in time to dodge the bulblin's spear. It chuckles, readying itself for another strike. I dodge again, slashing at its arm with a dagger, but I have to draw back once more before I can do any damage. Dammit, I don't have enough reach…!

I skip back to avoid another stab. The wall's at my back, now; it's pinned me into a corner. Nayru, Farore, Din, why are you trying to kill me? I cross a pair of daggers in an attempt to block the next strike. The spearhead screeches off the steel and buries itself in my leg instead. Ouch… that hurt.

My boys have fallen silent. There isn't a huge amount they can do, as it stands; clever as they are, they're not much good in life-or-death situations.

The bulblin stabs again; my daggers slip from my fingers and clatter to the ground, the spear burying itself in my stomach. I scream.

"_Sheik!"_

That Thrice-damned bulblin grins, twisting the spear around and yanking it out, going to stab again. I close my eyes-

"No!"

_Clang!_

A cool arm wraps around my waist, supporting me as a sword flashes up to block the spear. A very familiar sword, I note, opening my eyes, with a rather flashy purple hilt…

"Don't _touch_ him!" a voice yells. I glance up at the person holding me. Ashen skin, glittering blue eyes, an angry snarl… Dark…?

The bulblin merely laughs roughly. "And what is a little boy like you going to do to stop me?"

When Dark smirks, it's simultaneously less and more than human. "I'm the hero's shadow. My power is equal and opposite to his. I'm sure I'll find a way."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimed. **

…

_Chapter Four: In Which Dark Breaks A Bulblin (And Flirts)_

_***~Dark~***_

Oh that fucking _bastard._

Rule number _one_: Don't mess with the hero's stuff. _Ever_. Even when it's the hero's shadow and Sheik, who isn't technically stuff _or_ the hero's. In fact, he'd probably kill me if I described him as such.

I lower him to the ground carefully. His eyes flicker up to meet mine. "Dark…?"

"Wait here a moment," I hum, turning to glare at King Bulblin.

I was lucky; I got here just in time to see that asshole stab _my_ Sheik. If the sun had set just a minute later… I shudder at the thought. Suffice it to say that death would be a blessing in comparison to what I'd visit on that _thing_.

The part of me that's connected to my Light sparks with amused-worried-agreement. Of course it does.

I spin the Master Sword showily, pointing it at my opponent. "My Light allowed you to live… what, four times? I won't make that mistake. Last chance to leave. No? Good."

I swing, not giving him a chance to retaliate before piling on the next blow. I don't have a shield, which is a minor annoyance, but still. Kick, strike, spin attack, pommel strike, helm splitter… It's not long before it begins to limp away, absolutely defeated.

Defeated isn't good enough. I want it _dead_. Obliterated, if possible.

I race across the distance and leap, burying the sword in its back. It's tall enough that my legs hang in midair, and my weight drags me downwards, blade tearing open its back a little to the side of its spine. Blood sprays everywhere, and I take a moment to wrinkle my nose. Gross. I may have to burn my clothes. But it's so worth it.

I leap again, creating another gash on the opposite side of its spine. The bulblin bellows in agony, dropping to its knees and trying to crawl away from me. Oh, no. It's not getting away that easy. The Master Sword flicks out, and one tendon is severed. Another flick, and its legs are useless. It's still trying to drag itself away. I almost feel sorry for it.

It's a lesson everyone must learn. While my Light is otherwise engaged, his house is _mine_, his friends are _mine_, his stuff is _mine_, Sheik is _mine_, and anyone who says different is begging for a Master Sword in the face. And you don't touch my things. Ever. On pain of various fates worse than death.

I trot around to its face, poking it on the nose with the tip of the sword. "Don't mess with Sheik," I say coolly. "Not that you'll survive long enough for that lesson to sink in." I open a narrow slash along its throat. Not enough to kill, yet. I slash again. And again. Each time, the gash gets a little deeper. Before long, it's choking on its own blood. Then I stop and sit cross-legged on the ground to watch. When the twitching stops, I stand and remove its head completely. Just to be absolutely positive.

I turn, running back to where I left Sheik. He's gone; the others must have taken him inside. I climb the ladder and step in, and my world freezes for a moment.

The floor where he's lying is _covered_ in blood. Ilia is pressing a cloth to his stomach, trying to stem the bleeding. Colin is off to one side with Luda, hunting through my Light's collection of potions. I'm not sure why he had those; something partway between mementos and paranoia. Unfortunately, he used most of them during his adventures, and never got around to buying more. There's no sign of Talo or Shad; they're either staying out of the way, looking for more potions, or just can't be bothered.

I move to crouch beside Ilia. She lets out a little shriek. Oh, right. I forgot I'm covered in blood. Oh, well. I ignore it, instead snapping my fingers at Colin. "Potion."

"We tried!" he snaps back. "He won't drink them!"

I roll my eyes. "There are other ways to feed people potions than holding the bottle to their lips and hoping for the best. Did you try mouth-to-mouth?"

He hesitates. "Ah… no…?"

"Of course not." I snap my fingers again. "Blue potion. Now!"

Luda stands and passes me one. I uncork it and kneel next to Sheik, carefully parting his lips and lifting his head slightly. I take a sip of the blue liquid, shuddering at the taste. It's a struggle to avoid swallowing it. Then I press my lips to his and open my mouth, allowing the potion to flow from my mouth to his. I massage his throat gently, waiting until the muscles shift before flicking my tongue out, making sure all the liquid is gone. I lean back, taking another mouthful and repeating the process.

I continue in this manner until the bottle is empty, setting it to the side and lowering Sheik's head onto the makeshift pillow the others made out of some cloth they found. Then I turn to look at them. They're staring at me. "What? It's field medicine stuff. My Light did it a few times too. A little awkward, I'll admit, but still…"

Ilia shakes her head. "It's not that, it's just… You look just like Link, except darker. And… your… Light?"

I shrug, leaning back. "Yes. The one you call Link, I call my Light. That is what he is to me. I'm his antithesis. The darker half of his personality."

Colin frowns. "So you're his opposite?"

I shake my head. "No. Basically, I'm the flip side of his traits. I'm him taken to the extreme. For instance, where he's loyal and protective, I'm obsessive. Where he's brave, I'm reckless. Where he's fierce, I'm bloodthirsty. I'm not _evil_," I add quickly, noting their rather worried expressions. "Just…"

"Extreme?" a voice rasps dryly. I turn; Sheik is sitting up, red eyes blinking in confusion. "…What happened? I remember… the bulblin, and then…" The wound across his stomach is almost closed, I note with no small amount of satisfaction. A full bottle of blue potion will heal almost any non-fatal injuries.

I kneel beside him, resting a hand against the small of his back to support him. "You should be resting," I mutter.

He wrinkles his nose, shoving me back weakly. "Dark, what did you do? You're _covered _in blood!"

"It hurt you," I offer by way of explanation. He rolls his eyes, slumping back against my hand. I shift him to lie back again. "Go to sleep, Sheiky."

"Annoying, overprotective ass," he mutters, allowing his eyes to flutter closed. "I can take care of myself…" His voice trails off as he falls asleep. I chuckle, running a hand through his hair.

"Good night, Sheiky." I turn to the others. "Now then, where can I wash all the blood off my clothes?"

Colin directs me to the portion of the stream running through the town where everyone washes up. I stop long enough to pick up some of my Light's old clothes before heading off, brushing past Talo and Shad as I do. They stare at me in horror. I ignore them.

"Who was _that_?!" I hear Talo ask.

I chuckle.

…

_***~Sheik~***_

I should really stop getting stabbed in the gut.

I'm sick of it! At least this time I got a potion before the damage had been there long enough for the potion to become ineffective. It's almost healed already. Say what you will about his personality, but Dark is good at what he does. I have a vague memory of him kissing me; probably just a fever dream of some sort. Although I really don't want to think about what that says about my subconscious.

Light snorts. _'You've got a crush on someone who is often busy being a homicidal maniac. Well done.'_

'_Don't mind him,' _Sky murmurs_. 'He was worried. We all were.'_

'_Hmph.'_

'_Don't sulk, my child,_' Shade chides_. 'It's so… juvenile.'_

'_Hmph, I say.'_

I chuckle, wincing at the pain in my stomach. It's always amusing listening to them interact; it's something halfway between 'brotherly love' and 'old married couple'. It's… sweet, in a way, to see the level of familial connection between the three of them. To the best of my knowledge, Shade and Light are related in some way, but Sky isn't. Or, at least, he doesn't think so. The Eldest—I think they called him Angel—isn't connected in any way for certain; he died an only child, his parents long dead, with no wife and no children.

But the other three tease like they've known each other their whole lives, which I know isn't true. As far as I can tell, Sky's been around for a millennium or so, Shade's around the five hundred mark, and Light died a little before the war began. Shade, I assume, is Light's however-many-times great grandfather. I'm not sure about Sky, but he seems to have decided he's the responsible older brother figure in this messed up family.

'_He's trying to figure out our relationship again,'_ Shade notes.

'_He'll never manage it,'_ Light decides coolly.

"You know I can hear you, right?" I mutter.

"Hmm?" Colin glances over. "Oh, you're awake."

"Yeah."

An awkward silence fills the air. Colin scratches his neck. "So… who's Light?"

I jolt. "What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "You were talking in your sleep."

Oh, this isn't good. When people find out about Light, bad things happen. Usually involving explosions and destruction. "I don't know. I guess it was just a dream."

It's clear he doesn't believe me, but he nods. Dark sticks his head through the door. "What happened?"

Damn him and his ability to sense my distress. "It was nothing," I dismiss. Then I take a closer look at him and squawk. "Put your shirt back on!"

He grins, stretching and giving us a good look at his muscular upper body. That bastard, he's doing this deliberately. And I'm _not_ looking. Nope, not me.

'_Can I say something?'_ Light asks.

'_Go ahead_,' Shade replies.

'_Hot damn.'_

'_Hot damn indeed.'_

'_Really, you two? How conceited can you get?_' Sky adds.

"Shirt!" I tell Dark. "Now!"

Colin stares at him. "You walked through the village like that?!"

He nods. "Ah, I doubt anyone saw me. Hey, who's the girl with black hair, looks to be late thirties, early forties…?"

I glare at him. "You know damn well who!"

He raises his hands in mock submission. "Okay, okay… I was just trying to make conversation. Yeesh."

"So help me, I'll put you back in that mirror- Oh, hey Beth."

Beth raises an eyebrow. "Why is Dark here, and why isn't he wearing a shirt?"

"Because he's an incorrigible show off," I reply.

Dark smirks. "Doesn't that imply there's something for me to be showing off?"

"It implies you think there is."

Ilia walks in behind Beth, stopping with a sigh. "Stop flirting, you two."

"We're not flirting!"

She grins. "I spent enough time with Link and Shad to know when someone's flirting."

Shad pokes his head up from the basement. "What was that about Link and I flirting? Because we most certainly did not-"

"Yes you did," Ashei says, ducking around Ilia. "All the time. I had to put up with it."

Dark shrugs, *finally* moving to put his shirt back on. "If it makes you feel any better, he wasn't serious about it."

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "The hero's love life—or lack thereof—aside, what, exactly, are we doing here? You never really explained that."

Colin beams, then. "Oh, right! We came to talk to Rusl about something he'd seen regarding the hero's spirit."

Everyone settles down to listen. "And?" I prompt.

His grin gets even wider. "We have a lead."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimed. **

…

_Chapter Five: In Which They Climb A Mountain And Get Very Wet_

_***~The Ancient War~***_

Hylia raises her sword. "They're coming," she warns. "Prepare yourselves!"

Her army yells a war cry in response, and a pang of guilt strikes her. _'Please, my brothers, do not destroy these humans. Your fight is with me, not them.'_

'_Then why form an army at all?'_ purrs a reply. Hylia tenses.

"They're here!"

The air is rent by screams as an army of demons and monsters tears into the goddess' forces. Deep roars reach Hylia's ears as her elder brother destroys any who dare face him. Then a light giggle fills the air, and a few dozen soldiers are split in two by the invisible strike of an ancient sword.

The Helix Blade…

"Oni!" Hylia screams in desperation. "Demise! Challenge me yourselves, you cowards!"

A deep laugh fills the air as Demise steps forward, blazing hair tied back, his hands curled around the hilt of his sword, that Thrice-damned sword spirit floating beside him. "You would face us alone, sister?"

"To protect my men, yes."

Red eyes glance around her vanguard disbelievingly. "I see."

The childish giggle sounds again, and her younger brother ducks around the self-proclaimed Demon King. "Hiya, Sis!" the boy says, waving. "Isn't it a lovely day to fight to the death?"

She sighs. "Hello, Oni."

He's a strange boy, Oni; his hair is white as ice, eyes a faded, impossibly pale blue with white pupils instead of black. He's slender, and short; smaller than either her or Demise. At the moment, the ends of his hair are stained red with her people's blood. The Helix Blade is dripping a steady stream of sanguine. Hylia closes her eyes. "How many did you kill?"

He shrugs, eyes going cool and hard as steel. "I lost track. Does it matter?"

"Yes! They're only soldiers, they can't fight gods!" Because no matter how sweet and young and innocent he looks, Oni is a war god, after all, and the Lord of Time. Even in this form, no mere mortal can stand against him.

"What happened to you?" the goddess whispers. "You've changed, my baby brother, and not for the better."

He grins, gesturing at his breastplate. A triangle shimmers there, glowing brightly. "The Triforce of Time, Sis! It's incredible how powerful it is. With it, I can do anything!"

She shakes her head. "It's corrupting you, Oni! Can't you see?!" She turns to Demise, silently begging him. "That thing is driving him mad! It's just too powerful!"

The boy scowls at her. "I can handle it! C'mon, Sis, join us! Think of what the three of us would be capable of!" He sticks out his lower lip, and for a second she sees her brother, the one who'd drag her to Demise's room so they could all sleep in a heap because he'd had a nightmare, the one who taught the village boys swordplay, the one who was so loved by the Golden Goddesses that they chose him to make the final piece of the Tetraforce.

Then she steps back. "No, Oni. You have to give that power up! Don't you remember how hard you fought to protect these people when Demise and I last fought? And now you're going to abandon them!"

Oni snarls. "Yes, I protected them! I killed my best friend to protect them! And the only thanks I got was the chance to do it all again!" For a second, he looks like a lost child. "Why should I save them if they can't even say thank you?"

"Because that's what we do!" Hylia replies. "Majora made his choice, and that choice made him our enemy!"

Oni screams in rage. "Fi!"

The sword spirit appears beside him. "Yes, Master?"

"What are the chances that I'll survive if I attack?"

"Fifty percent, Master," Fi replies. "But, may I just say-"

"That's enough!" the war god snaps. "You're dismissed!"

"…Very well, Master," she whispers, vanishing back into the sword.

Demise grunts. "Oni, think this through," he urges. "The plan-"

"To hell with the plan!" Oni screeches, light and darkness flowing together to obscure his figure, blinding all around him. Hylia readies a Light Arrow, heart heavy.

When the enchantment fades, Oni stands in what others have dubbed his war form; he's ten feet tall, almost a head higher than Demise, white hair falling past his shoulders, tied back in a ponytail. The blue has faded from his eyes, leaving them flat white. War paint marks his face, making him look somehow more than human, savage and unbreakable. He grins, holding the Helix Blade high. "Come on, Hylia!" he cries. "Fight me!"

She takes the shot. Oni catches it in the gap of the Helix Blade, twisting it out of the air as he bounds across the space and strikes her bow out of her hands. Hylia falls back, readying her spell. She never wanted to use this particular measure, but she can't kill her own brother. "Don't make me do this!" she warns him. Oni merely snarls, striking again. There's no time for her to dodge-

Dark steel blocks the Helix Blade, and Demise shoves the younger god back. "That's enough, Oni!" he growls.

The other leaps at his brother, scoring thin scratches with his fingernails. Demise traps his arms, forcing the Helix Blade from his hands and pinning him to the ground. He looks up at his younger sister. "Do it. Quickly."

Hylia nods, swallowing her surprise at his aid as she crouches beside her brothers. "Oni… you and the Triforce of Time are too dangerous to be left free. But you are my brother, and as such…" She rests her hand against his forehead. "I will seal your immortal power away where it cannot harm anyone again. Your spirit will be reborn in mortal form, an unbreakable cycle for all eternity…" She leans close, making sure Demise can't hear her. "As you chose the wrong side in this fight, your penance shall be this: You will act as the champion of my bloodline for the rest of time, with no memory of the form that once was yours."

He lets out a muffled whimper. Hylia smiles. "But I am not without mercy. Your immortal power shall be sealed in a very special mask. Should your mortal incarnation wear this mask, he shall temporarily regain the memories and abilities of your immortal self, though the memories shall fade upon the removal of the mask. Be warned, however; the mask will slowly drain his strength. If he wears it too long, it will kill him."

Oni sighs, going limp. His body dissolves, leaving only a clever mask in the shape of a white-haired youth, eyes plain white with war paint coating his cheeks. Hylia scoops it up. Weighing it in her hands, she turns to her brother. "The Triforce of Time must never be allowed to fall into someone's hands again. It's too powerful."

Demise nods. "And the rest of the Tetraforce?"

"Triforce," she corrects. "I will cast spells around it to keep immortals from using its strength ever again. Something so dangerous should not be allowed to remain in our hands. Only mortals will be able to wield it; mortals who carry the blessings of Din, Nayru, and Farore. The Triforce of Time—and Oni—will be forgotten. It will be as if they never existed."

"And the mask?"

Hylia considers this, then nods. "I'll take it to Majora's people. They will take good care of it."

Demise nods his agreement. Then he pauses, glancing at where the Helix Blade lies. "Hylia."

The twin strands of metal are shifting and writhing, twining together into a regular sword with a green hilt. Hylia picks it up. "I know a place for this. I'll take it there."

Demise turns to leave. "Tomorrow," he calls over his shoulder, "we are enemies once again. But for today… let us both retreat. We should mourn our brother in peace."

"Agreed." Goddess and Demon both sound the retreat. Hylia stares down at the mask in her hands. "I'll take good care of you, Oni… Your mortal form will be my chosen hero. He'll be strong and loved by all, and he'll live a good, long life. I promise."

…

_***~Thirteenth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~Colin~***_

"…And the hero fell and the demon rose, but that's not how the story goes. So the hero rose and the demon fell, and then our story ended well. And the child of War fell from his home, nevermore the sky to roam. Heroes come and heroes go, but-"

"What are you singing?" I ask abruptly, turning to Sheik. It's an eery tune, soft and sad. And the subject matter's not exactly pleasant. A part of me is just glad he's stopped. Ah, not to say he's a bad singer, but that particular song is just… unnerving.

He frowns thoughtfully. "I don't know what it's called… Apparently, it's the tale of the ancient heroes and the Lord of Time."

"The who, now?" Shad asks. "I've never heard of a Lord of Time, and I've done in-depth research into the mythology of Hyrule."

Sheik waves a hand dismissively. "He's only mentioned in the oldest legends of my people. I'm not surprised you don't know him. Honestly, I can't even remember where I heard of him from. It's said that he was a god who was corrupted by a great power. The goddess and the Demon King worked together to stop him and seal his immortal power away. "

Dark pokes his head out of Sheik's shadow, where he's been hiding ever since the sun rose. I can't help but wonder when he learned to do that. "My Light met him in a mask," he hums. "It was a gift from the children in the moon."

"Why'd they give it to him?" Shad asks curiously. "And… when did Link go to the moon, anyway?"

"They wanted to play tag," Sheik replies; Dark's ducked back into his shadow. "And he went there to stop it falling." He says all this in the tone of someone informing someone of something they should already know. Then he drops to the back of the group and begins to hum to himself, very quietly. I can't make out the tune.

Shad steps a little closer to me. "He knows too much," he mutters.

"Either that, or he's good at making things up," I reply.

The scholar shakes his head. "The moon thing is from an old story the Hero of Time once told. But Queen Zelda told me only her family, the Hero of Time himself, and now I know that tale! Where would Sheik have learned it?"

I shrug. "What about the mask, then? Surely he mentioned that."

"No. That wasn't in the story. Either it never happened…"

"…or Sheik has knowledge only the Hero of Time was aware of," I finish. "Well, maybe Dark told him. We'll sort that out later. This is cold and hard work, and we should save our energy until we reach the mansion."

Ah, yes. My father told me he'd heard rumours of the treasure of the goddess, hidden high among frozen stone. Her treasure house is said to be the burial ground for the heroes of old, according to Shad; as such, it's a good place to start our search. After much discussion, we came to the conclusion that the 'frozen stone' was most likely Snowpeak. Ashei suggested she lead us to Snowpeak Ruins, and we could start our search from there.

That led us to this moment, considering how best to cross slippery chunks of ice without falling into water that's so cold it's a miracle it hasn't frozen yet.

Sheik shrugs. "Shouldn't be too hard. If your hero could do it…"

"How do you know he crossed this way?" Shad asks suspiciously.

Sheik raises an eyebrow. "You told me he came here on his quest, and Ashei said this is the only possible crossing point. Two and two, my dear scholar."

Dark snorts from within his shadow. "If you'd all be so kind as to cross before nightfall, it'd be appreciated. It's possible to get to the mansion in less than a day, and I'd like to be inside where it's warm when Sheiky inevitably kicks me out of his shadow."

I roll my eyes. "_Link_ made it in less than a day. We aren't heroes."

"Do your legs work?" comes the sardonic reply. "Yes? Good. Now jump. It really isn't that hard."

Sheik sighs, leaping out onto the first floe. He slides for a second, then stops, stepping back towards the centre. He glances over his shoulder. "Well? Are you coming? Honestly, I'm glad the others chose not to come, if you lot are going to take this long."

"It's too cold to be dealing with his attitude," Shad mutters. Sheik's right, though; it's probably for the best that only the five of us chose to come. The others remained in Ordon in case there were more attacks.

I step back and run, jumping forward onto my own chosen landing point. It rocks under my weight and I crouch with a hissed curse, waiting for it to stabilize. Sheik chuckles, leaping to the next one. He makes it look so easy, but he's feather-light! Of course he doesn't rock the ice as much! I roll my eyes. "Shad, Ashei! Are you coming or not?"

Ashei grins, jumping onto the ice herself and holding out a hand for Shad. The scholar jumps as well, landing in an undignified heap. Sheik stretches out on the ice to wait for them as though it were a bed. I turn and continue. One… two… three… I'm over. I go to turn around and wait for them-

Shad's yelling something about balance. Then there's a splash, a brief pause, and another splash. Then Ashei's yelling. "Colin! Get over here!"

I spin around. Ashei's crouched on the ice at my side of the river, peering down at the dark water. There's no sign of Shad. Or Sheik. I join her. "What happened?"

"Shad fell in," she replies shortly. "Sheik dove in after him."

I feel a chill go down my spine. In these freezing temperatures, being soaked isn't to be laughed at. And that's only if they survive the water…

Sheik's head appears above the water. He drags Shad up with him, passing the older man over to Ashei and I to drag out before pulling himself up and collapsing on the ice, gasping for air. Shad's only semiconscious; they're both trembling.

Ashei shakes her head. "Change of plans; we need to find a cave or something. Somewhere we can get a fire going." She glances up at where the sun is beginning to set. "We have to move quickly. If the sun goes down while we're in the open, wet clothes will become a death trap."

Sheik stands, dragging Shad up with him, stumbling under the older man's weight. "Ag-greed. L-let's g-g-go."

I take Shad off him, hoisting him up against my shoulder. I try to ignore the dampness spreading to my shirt. Ashei tucks Sheik under her arm. "If I remember correctly, there's a cave an hour or so's walk from here. If we move at a decent pace, we should get there by sundown."

…

_***~Dark~***_

We're in a cave when I slide out of Sheik's shadow to flop down in front of the dying fire and poke it back to life. The others are asleep.

"Mmm… Dark?" Sheik sits up, yawning widely and rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

I shrug. "Sundown." Then I look him over properly. "_Sheesh_, Sheiky."

His clothes are still slightly damp. He's shivering, lips faintly blue and face pale. I slide closer to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. They're cooler than usual. "If you're so cold, you should be closer to the fire."

He shakes his head. "I'm f-fine."

I roll my eyes. "You'll never be able to carry out your orders if you freeze to death. Don't give me that look, of course I know about that. Take off your shirt."

"What?!"

"Your clothes are damp," I explain. "Give me your shirt, I'll put it by the fire to dry."

"Oh." He shrugs off his shirt, blushing, and passes it to me. I pile up some logs to drape it over, then frown.

"If you don't mind, I can do the same with your pants…" I turn away, listening to rustling fabric as he adjusts himself. Then he tosses his pants over to me. I sigh, tugging off my own tunic and passing it back to him, not turning around.

He takes it from me hesitantly. "Ah, do you mind me having this?"

"Yes, I do mind," I reply sarcastically. "That's why I gave it to you."

He sighs, pulling it over his head. "…Thank you."

I turn around to grin at him. My shirt falls to just above his knees; he's tugged his blanket up to cover his legs. He's blushing. I raise my eyebrows. "Like what you see?"

"Not hardly," he replies coolly, curling up on the stone with a yawn.

I wander over and join him. "You still cold?"

"A little, I guess…"

I grab one of the spare blankets, tossing it over us both and curling up behind him. He squeaks. "Dark, what-"

"Shut up and sleep."

"Agh, fine."

"Good night."

"Good night.

"…And, thank you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimed. **

…

_Chapter Six: In Which They Find A Temple_

_***~Thirteenth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~Colin~***_

"Get off me, you Thrice-damned pervert! I will sic Light on you, so help me!"

"Oh, come on, Sheiky! I can't help what happens when I'm asleep!"

"Yes you bloody well can!"

I'm tempted to just roll over and go back to sleep. Instead, I decide to get up and keep Sheik and Dark from killing each other. "Alright, you two, what-?" I stop for a moment to process.

Dark isn't wearing a shirt again. And Sheik… doesn't appear to be wearing pants. Instead, he's wearing Dark's tunic like a dress. His clothes are draped over some logs by the fire. "Put your clothes on, both of you!"

Ashei sits up, glances over the scene, and lies down again. "Wake me when you've sorted this out, yeah?"

"Yeah, sure." I grab Sheik's clothes and toss them at him. "Get dressed, then tell me what's going on."

He mutters something incomprehensible, ducking behind some rocks to change. When he steps out, he throws Dark's tunic at his head. "Put that on."

Dark does so, chuckling to himself. Sheik flops down by the entrance, glaring out into the night. I sigh. "What happened?"

Dark shrugs. "Circumstances beyond my control."

"Sure they were," Sheik snorts. "You are an ass."

"What happened?!"

"Dark is a pervert," Sheik informs me.

"Subconsciously," Dark clarifies.

Oh. Well, that explains that. "Sheik, you do know how these… ah… things work, right?"

He flushes. "I'm well aware of how 'these things' work, thanks. You don't have to explain it." Now all three of us are bright red, standing in an awkward circle. Sheik stands with a cough. "I'll go… see if I can find us something to eat, then."

He leaves. Dark shrugs. "The sun'll be up soon, so I'll just make sure the fire's still going strong and find a nice shady place to wait for Sheiky."

I frown. "Why can't you go out in sunlight, anyway?"

He shrugs again. "Usually I can. But that's because my Light's body acts as a… stabiliser, shall we say. Now that he's… indisposed, I don't have that stabiliser available, so sunlight would be enough to disperse my physical form, and I wouldn't be able to pull myself together again until nightfall. As it stands, I'm basically solidified darkness."

I nod. "Is that why you look so… shadowy?" A thought strikes me. "And if you're solid darkness, why are your eyes blue?"

"Yes, I'd quite like to know that too," Shad agrees, flopping down beside us. He must've woken while we were talking.

Dark sighs. "I don't know why my eyes are blue. It varies from form to form. This time they're blue, last time they were red, time before that they were reddish-brown… It changes every time."

I decide it's better not to ask, and slap a hand over Shad's mouth. "What exactly were you doing with Sheik, anyway?"

A faint blush spreads over his face. "His clothes were damp, so he took them off to dry them, and I lent him my tunic. That's why he was wearing it. But he was cold, so we ended up… cuddling, I guess you could say, and, well… Things happened. Completely beyond my control."

Teenagers. I carefully ignore the part of my mind reminding me that I was most likely worse. "I'm sure he'll calm down."

"You don't know Sheiky, obviously," he mutters. "That boy can hold a grudge like nobody's business."

Which is another thing. "How do you know Sheik?" I ask. "You seem quite… familiar, but if you were in that mirror…"

Dark shrugs. "He used to visit. For four years he came at least once a month; then he just stopped. I guess something must have changed, but he won't say what."

"You'll just have to find out, then," Shad says, pulling my hand away from his mouth.

The shadow grins lightly. "I guess I will."

…

_***~Sheik~***_

'_Why are you so upset?'_ Shade asks with his usual innocence. _'It wasn't that big a deal.'_

'_Yes,_' Sky adds. _'At least he isn't ugly. Or evil. Or Ghirahim.'_

"All points in his favour," I admit.

'_And you'll scare off the prey if you keep moping,'_ Light continues.

'_You're just friends,'_ Shade finishes. _'Why does it matter?'_

"That's just it," I reply. "We're just friends. We were sleeping together to preserve warmth, that's all."

'_So why-'_

I blush. "He was aroused. I am mortified."

Light snickers in a most immature manner_. 'These things happen. I used to be followed everywhere by a beautiful woman; that caused some rather interesting moments.'_

'_Easy, boy,'_ Shade mutters. _'She was too old for you, anyway.'_

'_So are you,_' comes the reply.

"Now, boys," I reproach, "keep that talk out of my brain, if you don't mind. What you do is your business, and I really, _really_ don't want to know."

They fall silent and I smile, drawing my dagger at a movement in the bushes. A hare. Not much meat on it, but better than nothing, and if I can catch a second…

Oh look. Lady Luck appears to be in a decent mood for once.

…

_***~Dark~***_

"I brought food," Sheik announces, stepping back into the cave and flopping beside the fire to begin skinning his catch. The others immediately make their way over to him. I chuckle, stretching out in my chosen patch of shadow to wait. He glances over at me, rolls his eyes, and turns back to the task at hand.

A light, questioning touch against my mind draws my attention. I smirk_. 'Hello, my Light.'_

'…_Dark,'_ he acknowledges reluctantly. _'How did you know it was me?'_

'_I didn't,'_ I admit cheerfully. _'I had a one in four chance of getting it right, and I did.'_

He sighs. _'Sheik's mad at you.'_

I chuckle to myself, waving off Shad's curious glance. _'He gets mad too easily. What did he say? What did you say, for that matter?'_

'_Does it matter?'_ He sighs irritably_. 'Is it true that you're tracking me?'_

'_You tell me. You know everything I do, more or less.'_

'_Hmph.'_ He withdraws from my mind. I snicker.

"Sheiky, is the food nearly done?"

In response, a chunk of cooked rabbit flies through the air and hits me in the head. I shrug, biting off a chunk. "Mm. As delicious as ever. You remain an excellent cook."

"Of course I do," comes the reply. "I have four-" He pauses, coughing. "Four years of experience."

I grin. Nice save there, Sheiky. His boys must not want our companions knowing the truth of his impressive skills. "Do your 'four years of experience' have any idea when we're leaving?"

He rolls his eyes. "As soon as we've all finished eating. Ashei says it's only a few hours to the mansion."

"What about the ice sliding thing?"

"The what?" Shad asks. Sheik ignores him, looking pensive.

"Oh, yes. I'd forgotten about that. I'm sure it'll be fine; worst case scenario is… ah…"

"Someone dies a horrible, painful death?" I offer. "Not too bad."

"Dark!" Sheik reproaches. "We do not want people dying horrible deaths. That is _bad_."

"Oh, look who's talking!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Who killed me in the Water Temple?"

He snorts. "That wasn't me. I wasn't even alive. That wasn't even in this timeline!"

I grin. "I can still blame you."

He throws a rock at me. I dodge. "Finish your rabbit and let's go."

…

_***~Colin~***_

"You expect us to slide down a mountain on _those_?!"

"I knew it," Sheik grumbles. "I _knew_ it'd be him who complained." Louder, he adds, "There's no other way to the mansion, Shad. Do you want to see the goddess' treasure house or not? You could wait here if you like, but…" He trails off suggestively. Ashei snickers. I spare a moment of quiet amusement for the thought of Shad waiting on the mountain for us to finish, while we find all sorts of historical objects.

Predictably, he eventually sighs. "Very well, old boy. But this is a one-time event! I shall never return to this mountain if I can help it."

Sheik grins, climbing up the tree and knocking loose four chunks of ice. They hit the snow with more noise than he does, I note with mild irritation. "Shall we go?"

Ashei leads the way, stepping onto one of the pieces and kicking off. Shad follows, hesitantly sliding downwards, wobbling like crazy. Sheik simply runs forward a few steps, jumps onto his own piece, and takes off, quickly bypassing the other two with a whoop of excitement.

Dark sticks his head out of my shadow, where he elected to stay for this part of the trip. "See why I didn't want to ride with him?" he asks.

I nod. "Yeah… I should probably get going. Before Shad capsizes and we all have to help heal his various broken limbs." He's a great scholar and all, but his… physical prowess is somewhat lacking.

Dark grins, sinking back out of sight. I kick off, trying not to crash into any trees on my way down.

A few minutes of what could be described as high-speed panic later, we all gather at the steps of the mansion. Shad is practically vibrating with leftover adrenaline. "I say, I am never doing that again. Give me a castle to storm any day. Hylians are not meant to travel that fast, unless they are on horseback."

"Good thing I'm not Hylian, then," Sheik calls over his shoulder, sauntering up to the front doors and shoving them open.

Shad frowns. "Ah… Shouldn't you knock, first?"

"No, it's fine. They won't hear from the living room anyway. I'll knock on the inner doors." He does so, Dark hopping out of my shadow as soon as I follow him inside. The shadow grins.

"I've never actually seen this place firsthand," he admits cheerily, looking around. "It's nice. Cold, though. Can't believe my Light insisted on visiting."

"How often did he come here?" I ask, watching Sheik knock calmly on the doors leading to the inner rooms.

Dark shrugs. "Every couple of months or so. He's a good kid, this one; always makes sure to visit the people he's met over his travels. Even if he can't make it himself, he sends a proxy…"

The doors swing open. Shad yelps. Sheik laughs. "Hey, Yeto. It's good to see you again."

"You too," grunts a deep voice. "Come inside, uh? Yeta will be happy to see you."

Sheik vanishes behind the door. Ashei follows, dragging Shad with her. Dark and I share a puzzled glance. He shrugs. I sigh and make my way into the room.

Well. That's… different. Yeto dwarfs us, covered in white fur with an apelike grey face. A second creature—I assume Yeta—stands beside him. She's rounder, covered in soft, fluffy fur. She turns to smile at me. "You are… friends with the nice young Hylian, are you not? He talked about you."

"She's talking about my Light," Dark hisses in my ear.

I nod. "Yes, I was."

"Was," Sheik mutters. Then he smiles at Yeta. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Yeta. You've gotten much better at Common, I see."

She smiles back. "Yes. I believed I would need to communicate better with people who came to visit. It is good to see you, little Sheikah. You're early; has something happened?"

Shad hisses. "Sheikah?"

Sheik ignores him. "We've heard rumours of the goddess' treasure house being in these mountains somewhere. Do you know where it is?"

Yeto bobs his head. "It is far away, behind the house. We can take you there, uh?"

Sheik grins. "That sounds good. How long will it take to get there?"

Yeto frowns, considering. "All day. We won't get there today… We can leave as soon as the sun rises tomorrow."

I purse my lips. "But-"

"That sounds good," Sheik decides. "So we'll spend today here, then. If you don't mind."

"Not at all," Yeta murmurs in her quiet voice. "You are welcome to stay in any room; since the nice young hero came through, it's very safe."

Sheik nods. "Perhaps the hallway where the armour is…? It should be warm enough there. And there's a good story to go with that room."

They both nod, and Sheik wanders to the door. "Come on, you four!"

Dark chuckles, strolling over to join him. The rest of us sigh, following. Sheik doesn't hesitate, leading us to a hallway with a ceiling of chain and pieces of armour strewn everywhere. He sighs. "Heroes. They never clean up after themselves."

"I resent that," Dark replies, settling down on a breastplate. "Heroes are excellent at cleaning up their messes. Just look at the Hero of Time."

"Yes, having let Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm, he got him out again, sealed him, fiddled with time, and had him executed. And we all know how that ended," Sheik returns cheekily.

Dark sighs in reluctant acquiescence. I cough to draw their attention. "You said something about a story…?"

"Never mind that," Shad interjects, turning to Sheik. "Yeta called you a Sheikah."

"I would've thought the eyes gave it away," the blond muses. He blinks them in a way that I would call catty, if I had to describe it. "Yes, I'm a Sheikah."

"I thought they died out in the Hero of Time's era," Ashei comments.

Sheik shrugs. "Most people do, but we survived somehow. We've been keeping a low profile."

Dark grins. "Sneaky little ninjas that they are. Seriously, though, how did you not guess? Those eyes aren't exactly easy to miss."

The Sheikah bats his eyelashes at the shadow with a smile that's borderline flirtatious. "Because I am a ninja, as you said."

"Stop flirting," I order. "I got enough of that from Ilia back in Ordon. I am shocked Link never noticed."

"It was because he's-" Dark pauses to bat Sheik's hand away from his mouth. "-completely and utterly uninterested in girls."

Ashei smirks. "I knew it."

"Everyone knew it," Shad replies. "I'm shocked Ilia didn't notice."

Dark snickers. "I know! And yet he's- I'm going to shut up before I say something that'll make my Light and Sheik kill me."

Sheik rolls his eyes. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that." He leans back, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"Hold on," Shad says abruptly. "I was distracted there for a moment, but…" He points at Sheik. "If you are a Sheikah, then who are you working for?"

Sheik stares at him. "…I'm not working for anyone. I don't know why you'd think I am."

The scholar sputters inelegantly for a moment. "Sheikah always have a master! That's- That's basic knowledge!"

Dark sighs. "Sheiky, he's talking about the bond thing."

"Oh, that." Sheik chuckles. "I don't _have_ to have a master. It's a conscious decision. One I haven't made yet. We had an arrangement with the Royal Family about five hundred years ago where we bound ourselves to them, which is probably where your confusion comes from, but it was broken long ago."

"So you aren't working for anyone?" Shad asks suspiciously.

"No one," Sheik insists.

"Then swear it."

"Alright." Sheik rolls his eyes. "I swear I'm not working for anyone."

"_Properly_," Shad says. "Perhaps you don't have to have a master, but I still know how to make you tell the truth. Give us a proper oath."

Sheik's eyes widen almost imperceptibly. "…You've done your research," he admits. "Fine then. I… I swear on- on the-"

"Stop it!" Dark says suddenly. "For Farore's sake, Sheiky, what can you accomplish if you get yourself killed like this? Not to mention you won't be able to explain anything if you're dead. Just be honest."

Sheik glares at him. "I could've worked around it if you hadn't said that," he complains. Then he turns back to the rest of us. "Alright, so I am working for someone. Well, several someones, to be honest. But none of them are my master. That part was true."

I try to reach for my sword without him noticing. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Ashei doing the same thing. "Then who are you working for?"

Sheik groans. "I can't tell you," he says. "I swore I wouldn't name them until my mission was complete." His gaze flicks over to Shad. "But I swear on the souls of my ancestors, to the best of my knowledge they are not your enemies."

"Well, why didn't you say that from the beginning?" Shad asks. "I say, let go of your swords, you two. He's telling the truth there."

I let go of my sword. Ashei doesn't, keeping her eyes on Sheik. Dark shifts over slightly so that he's seated between the two of them, hand dropping to where the Master Sword lies at his side.

"How do you know he's telling the truth?" Ashei asks warily.

Sheik offers her a crooked smile. "How much do you know about the Interlopers?" he asks.

She frowns. "Enough. They tried to use the power of the Triforce and were banished. That weird imp thing Link used to travel with was descended from them."

"That's enough for this to make sense," Sheik says. "Well, there were two groups of Interlopers. The ones who eventually became the Twili–Midna's people–were more active in their efforts. They were front line fighters, openly going against the goddesses. That's the main reason why they were banished. The other group was less open. They worked mainly as assassins and spies, and only for the good of themselves and their people. This was the group that eventually became the Sheikah. The Twili were sealed, but Nayru was fond of the Sheikah, and argued that our… gifts were needed in this world. Instead of sealing us away, the goddesses made it very difficult for us to lie. If a Sheikah swears an oath on the souls of their ancestors, they must fulfill the terms of that oath. For instance, if I swear that something is true, then that thing must be true, or I would be breaking the oath and would die a horrible death. That's why I specified that my… employers were not your enemies _to the best of my knowledge_, just to be safe. Not that I think they are," he adds quickly.

"That sounds… awful," Ashei says. "Sounds like you should hate Nayru for it. Couldn't someone make you swear to jump off a cliff or cut your arm off?"

"No, no," Sheik assures her. "Nayru thought of that. The oath must be freely given, without any sort of coercion, or it holds no meaning. And we can't be ordered to do something specifically to hurt us. Also, all oaths given expect us to prioritize our own survival, unless we're guarding someone. For instance, if I swore to find something, it would be expected that I stop to eat, drink, sleep, heal from any injuries… After all, we can't fulfill the oath at all if we're dead."

Shad nods. "So how exactly does the… 'bond thing', as Dark put it, work?"

Sheik frowns. "Well… it's quite simple, really. If I decided to take a master, I would have to vow to uphold their commands and protect them to the best of my abilities, and they would have to accept it. Then they could command me without requiring a full oath to make sure it gets done, and I would be unable to lie to them. Well," he adds thoughtfully, "that's not true. I could lie to them, but most masters command that the Sheikah always tells the truth when speaking to them. Anyway, I also wouldn't be able to make binding oaths to other people without my master's consent. It's all very restricting, which is why I haven't done it yet. I'd prefer to call it a partnership, but…" He shrugs. "The number of people who wouldn't take advantage of having a Sheikah at their beck and call is very low."

"What about me?" Dark asks.

"No way in hell."

I chuckle. "Alright everyone, it's been a long day, so make yourselves comfortable. Read, spar, sleep, explore, whatever you like. Just make sure you're back here by sundown."

"Yes, mother," Ashei replies.

"If anyone's hungry, head down to the kitchen," Sheik adds. "Yeto makes brilliant soup."

And so we scatter across the mansion. I spend my time talking to Yeto and Yeta and exploring. Yeta even takes me up to their bedroom; one corner has stains that look suspiciously like blood spatters. When I ask, she flushes and mutters something about a mirror and Link and a ball and chain.

It's on my way back down from the bedroom that I hear something I probably wasn't supposed to.

"…ever going to tell them?" Dark's voice asks quietly.

"Eventually," Sheik replies softly. "You know how hard it is to-"

There's a thud, like someone's been pushed into the wall. "Don't give me that," Dark hisses. "You and I both know you haven't told anyone because—and _only_ because—my dearest Light is too cowardly to face them."

"Dark!" the Sheikah snaps irritably. "That's not true, and you know it!" His voice rises, and he lowers it back to a whisper. "I haven't told anyone because they'd say I'm insane, and I've sworn a solemn vow not to as well. You're the one who said I shouldn't throw my life away by breaking an oath. Besides…"

"Besides?"

I peek around the corner, curious. Dark has Sheik pinned to the wall, keeping him from moving away as they talk, faces only a few inches apart. Sheik looks surprisingly relaxed; he's leaning back against the stone, arms folded across his chest. He sighs. "I don't want to give them false hope. I know we all act so confident that this'll work, but the truth is… there's no guarantee it will. It's been _thirteen years_, Dark; almost longer than I've been alive. We don't know what shape the body will be in! Hell, we don't know if it'll so much as be there! It might not even be able to support a spirit anymore!"

His voice is rising again. Dark presses a finger against his lips. "It'll work," he insists.

Sheik stares at him, wide-eyed, and I'm uncomfortably reminded that he's only fifteen, even younger than Link was when he set out on his quest. "But what if it doesn't?" he asks. "Five years I've been working towards this. We both know it's Hyrule's only hope. What if it doesn't work?"

Dark opens his mouth, then closes it. "It'll work," he says again.

"How do you know?"

The shadow lowers his head, eyes sliding shut for a long moment. "It'll work… because it has to," he says eventually.

If I'm honest, I'm a little suspicious of the two of them. But whatever they're doing isn't going to hurt us, and they both clearly think it's important…

I hope I can help them, whatever it is.

…

_***~Sheik~***_

"There it is, uh," Yeto informs us, gesturing towards a cave entrance in the mountainside. It looks like a gaping mouth, about to swallow us whole. "Treasure house is in there. Many strong enemies, also; be careful, Sheik. And give the nice young Hylian our best, uh?"

I nod. "I will. Thank you."

He nods back, heading off back down the path. I wave.

Ashei frowns up at the cave entrance. "So we just… walk in, yeah?"

Shad straightens his glasses. "I say, it doesn't look much like a goddess' treasure house. Are you sure that yeti knew where we wanted to go, old boy?"

I shrug. "No. But this is the right place. I can tell." With that, I step inside, hesitating for a moment to allow my eyes to adjust.

There's a plaque on the wall. The inscription is in Sky Writing. Shad goes over to peer at it. "Odd, one would have expected the inscription to be in Hylian or Common… It seems there may be some truth to the theory that the goddess founded the City in the Sky before creating Hyrule…"

"After," I correct. "And she didn't create the City in the Sky; she created a similar floating island. Skyloft, home of the Knight Academy, the Loftwings, and the Lumpy Pumpkin. They made damn good soup."

Light stirs curiously at the mention of pumpkin soup. I ignore him, leaving Sky to explain. "Are you going to read the inscription or not?"

They're all looking rather suspicious. Well, except Dark; he just looks vaguely amused. "How would you know all that?" Shad asks.

I shrug. "I asked… Dark." Not entirely true… but close enough.

"How would he know?"

The shadow grins. "Your Link is hardly my first Light. I've been around for a very, _very_ long time."

I cough before Shad can ask anything else. Subtlety isn't Dark's strong suit, and I don't want him to give the game away just yet. "Inscription?"

"Oh, yes." The scholar turns to the plaque. "It says… 'The entryway will open when one who bears the courage of Farore stands before the plaque and proves his heart.' What does that mean?"

I take a deep breath. "Probably this."

I step forward, steadying myself. Then I lift my left hand towards the plaque and allow the three triangles on the back to gleam.


	7. Chapter 7

**Uh, hey. I'm not dead. **

**Okay, so. Important. Please read this. One of the reasons this chapter took so long was because I was editing all the other chapters to fix up the parts I didn't like and add in a few more details that I hadn't come up with when I first wrote this. Mostly little things that you guys probably didn't even notice, but please, please, please reread at least chapter 1 and chapter 6, or parts of the story won't make sense. **

**Disclaimed. **

…

_Chapter Seven: In Which They Discover The Meaning Of Courage And Fight A Lot Of Very Large Monsters_

_***~Thirteenth year of Demise's reign~***_

_***~Colin~***_

The Triforce of Courage.

_Sheik_ has_ the Triforce of Courage._

"That's Link's!" is all I can think to say.

Sheik stares at me. "…Yes," he says eventually. "But Link isn't exactly available at the moment, so I'm borrowing it."

"You can't _borrow_ part of the Triforce!" Shad complains.

"Apparently you can," Ashei replies. "We should get moving, yeah?"

She has a point; regardless of how he got it, Sheik's little show with the Triforce of Courage has opened an entrance deeper into the cave. Who knows how long it'll stay open? "This discussion isn't over," I decide, "but we'll postpone it until we're done here."

Sheik nods in understanding. "Dark, we'll need you to guide us."

"So this is why you let me out of the mirror!" he says cheerily, taking the lead. "Let's see… my Light's to the left, I think, but that door's locked, so we need to find the key…"

"We could split up," Shad suggests. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Ashei shakes her head. "Never split up in a temple. Don't you know anything? And, yeah, I know this isn't a temple, exactly, but the premise still stands."

"Besides," Sheik says suddenly. "We wouldn't get very far. Haven't you noticed? Other than the door on the left, the locked one… there's no way to get further."

"What?" I move towards the left-hand door. "Then we can either pick the lock, or turn back…"

The second I touch the lock, bars drop over the door. I jump back, turning around. The exit is similarly blocked. Sheik curses. "Get ready!" he warns. "Something is about to attack."

Even as he speaks, the sand around his feet explodes outwards. It's pure luck that he manages to scramble back in time.

Ashei swears violently. "It's that… thing! The one from Day Zero!"

"The eye-scorpion-thing, as you described it?" Shad checks. "It's been thirteen years! Most monsters don't live that long!"

Dark stares at us, askance. "You've fought a Moldarach _before_?!"

"I wouldn't say fought," Ashei replies. "We ran away."

"Whose idea was that?" Sheik asks distractedly, eyes scanning the room.

"Link's."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Then he laughs delightedly. "Oh, now I get it! This place is designed for the hero; this is just the first test!"

"Sheiky, what-" Dark turns to see what Sheik's looking at. Then he too starts to laugh. "Of course, _that_ thing!"

"What thing?" I turn to see what they're looking at. Sitting on a table that I'm sure wasn't there before is what looks like… bellows.

Sheik's grin looks rather feral. "Moldarach will go under the sand. We use these—Gale Bellows? Gust Bellows? Something like that—to get rid of the sand. Then we slash the eyes." He grabs the bellows.

True to his word, the scorpion burrows underneath the sand and disappears. For a long moment, there's nothing. "Look for lumps in the sand," Dark advises. "If you see one, that's probably Moldarach."

We all focus on the sand. "There!" Shad calls from his place by the door, away from the sand. He points at a particularly big lump.

Sheik smirks, hoisting the bellows. "Stand back!" he warns, doing… something with them that sends a jet of air out the end. It scours the sand, forcing Moldarach out of its hiding place. "Go for the eyes in its claws!" he orders quickly, bellows disappearing into a pocket as he draws his daggers.

Ashei strikes quickly, stabbing towards one of its eyes. It jumps back, claws clicking shut protectively. She sighs. "We need to make it stay still, and keep those claws open, yeah?" she assumes.

I nod. "Anyone have a bow?"

Dark shrugs. "Well, there's this…" He draws what looks suspiciously like Link's slingshot from a pocket. Catching my stare, he shrugs. "What? Not like he's using it. Sheiky, be a dear and distract that thing for me, will you?"

The Sheikah rolls his eyes. Then he sticks two fingers in his mouth and whistles to draw Moldarach's attention. Dark grins when the scorpion turns, readying the slingshot. "Ashei, Colin, you might want to get ready," he advises. "This'll go much quicker if we can get all three eyes at once." So saying, he fires, the pellet striking our opponent in the eye. It freezes, and the three of us leap.

Now, while I'm passable with a sword, it's never been my forte, not like Talo, Link and Ashei. So, really, it's not much of a surprise when I miss the eye. Ashei curses as the scorpion burrows back under the sand with one eye still intact. "Thrice dammit, Colin," she sighs.

Sheik shrugs. "Don't worry too much. The Hero of Legend took _hours_ to beat one of these things. We're doing surprisingly well."

"Don't knock the Hero of Legend, Sheiky," Dark says mildly. "He won't be happy with you."

"He can deal with it, can't he? He's not a baby." Sheik frowns, pulling out the bellows again. "Anyone see anything?"

Ashei and I focus on the sand. "Ah…"

"Look out!" Shad yelps.

The sand explodes around us, sending all four of us staggering back in an effort to keep our balance. "Thrice-damned scorpion!" Sheik yells, scrambling to his feet. "Dark, get that slingshot ready!"

The force of impact sends me stumbling forward. I spin to see what's attacking now-

"Sorry!" Dark calls. "Your big head is getting in the way!"

I can see Sheik rolling his eyes. "Dark, shoot like you mean it!" He rolls to the side, tossing a dagger. Moldarach freezes up, and Ashei strikes, easily bursting the eye. Dark and Sheik back up with matching blank expressions. I'm about to question why when the Thrice-damned scorpion explodes, sending ash and monster guts everywhere. Including all over us.

"That is _disgusting_," Shad complains, turning to Sheik and Dark. "Judging by your preemptive reactions, you were aware of that creature's explosive qualities. I say, why did you not consider warning us beforehand?"

Dark shrugs, grinning. "Assumed you already knew," he says.

"Honestly," Sheik adds, "didn't you ever listen to Link's stories? If it's big and you kill it, it's probably going to explode. That's kind of a staple in these places. Sore losers, the lot of them. Almost as bad as Nebulae." He crouches, drawing a dagger and setting to work digging through the pile of ash and innards. "Ick," he mutters. "They never talk about this bit in the legends. Ah, and it broke my dagger, too… Damn, these things have gotten fragile. Maybe it's just me."

I frown. "What… are you doing?"

He glances up at me. "Looking for the key," he says matter-of-factly.

"Why would the key be there?"

He shrugs, going back to the pile. "Well, the door's locked, this thing showed up when we got near the lock, and there's no sign of a key anywhere else in the room. Assumedly, this Thrice-damned thing swallowed it. Ah, there it is." Sheik grins, holding out the key for me to take.

I grimace. "You want to clean that off a little first?"

"Don't be such a pussy," Dark sighs, scooping up the key and sauntering over to the door. "If my Light can jump off an island miles in the sky, fight an honest-to-Hylia demon mask, and impale the King of Evil, you can handle a key with a little gut on it."

I swear, the more I talk to these two, the more confusing they become. "…Alright then. Moving on. Where do we go from here?"

Dark hums, trotting through the door and turning in a circle, head cocked. He looks like Link used to when hunting a particularly elusive animal. Then he grins. "He's… northeast of here, I think. Through the door straight ahead for now."

This room is a large circle with four doors, one in each cardinal direction. All of them are locked except for the one Dark pointed out and the one we just came through. Shad frowns. "If Link is over there, then why would only the door going in almost the opposite direction be unlocked?"

"Because that's how temples work," Dark says. "Don't you know anything?"

Sheik smacks him. "Temples are… complicated," he says. "Just be glad we aren't stuck in the Arbiter's Grounds, or the Shadow Temple." He strolls towards the door, whistling a short, eery melody.

Dark looks at him in what I can only describe as confused concern. "Where did you- Never mind. Let's go."

"Wait a minute," Shad says. "Where did you learn that song? All the others that you've hummed or sang I recognised, but not that one."

Sheik frowns at him. "Song? What song?"

Dark steps between them. "I didn't hear anything," he says quickly. "Shad must have misheard. *Right, Shad*?"

I can't see his face, but Shad steps back quickly. "Uh- Right. I must have… misheard."

"All… right, then," Sheik says. "Well, anyway. The door. It's unlocked, so we should…"

Ashei shrugs. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, yeah?" She strides off towards the western door. Dark smiles, trailing after her. Sheik grabs Shad by the ear and yanks him along as well. I follow, shaking my head at the sight.

The next room is rough and brown, like tree bark. It's almost perfectly circular, too. Shad stares around at the walls as though he recognises them.

Dark taps his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see… There should be a key around here somewhere. For the next door, y'know."

Ashei scans the room quickly. "Found it," she says, pointing towards a chest on the far side of the room. She steps toward it. I glance around at the others; Shad is frowning. Dark has a self-satisfied little smirk on his face.

"Trials," Sheik says. "Oh- Ashei, get back!"

She stumbles away from the chest at his shout, just barely dodging the insect-like thing that drops from the ceiling. Shad yelps, but Sheik looks more amused. "Now I remember!" he says. "This room is modeled after the Great Deku Tree. That thing is a Gohma! It's a simple battle. We'll beat it in no time."

Dark nods. "Got the slingshot right-"

As he pulls it out, the Gohma leaps, knocking it from his fingers. It stands over the slingshot, making a sound that makes me think of laughter.

Dark curses. "Sorry, guys. But it's okay, right? Sheiky, you have those daggers-"

Sheik shakes his head. "I only have one left. I can't risk throwing it until I find a way to get more."

"It's just a dagger!" Shad says, exasperated. "They aren't exactly difficult to locate!"

"Well, Sheikah-made daggers aren't as easy to come by!" Sheik snaps. "There are a bunch still around, and I could make my own in a pinch, but either way it'll take time to pick up more! In case you've forgotten, I'm still under an oath, and I don't want to be stuck weaponless while I'm in the process of fulfilling it. Unless one of you has something we could use, we're stuck waiting for it to move away from the slingshot."

"I have some Deku nuts," Ashei offers. "They were over by the chest."

Dark grins. "Deku nuts? Perfect! Sheiky can use one to grab the slingshot! Right, Sheiky?"

"I could," Sheik says uncertainly. "Probably… Well, I don't know, I've never actually done it in combat. It's better for running away."

"Just get behind it," Dark says. "We can distract it while you grab the slingshot."

"Okay…" Sheik slips all but one of the Deku nuts into his pocket and turns to face the Gohma. He edges a little to the side, as if trying to walk around it, and the thing swivels slightly to watch him, curling around the slingshot. "Dammit. Well, here goes nothing."

He holds up the Deku nut and narrows his eyes. Then he throws it to the ground at his feet. Dark and Ashei turn away from him, and I quickly shut my eyes. Shad yelps as the nut explodes, and I quickly look again. "Sheik, what in Farore's name-?!"

He's gone. The remains of the Deku nut are scattered on the ground, but Sheik himself is nowhere to be seen. Dark smirks at our surprised exclamations and gestures at the Gohma. "Give him a second."

As he speaks, the shadows seem to shift slightly behind the insect. Sheik stumbles out, just barely catching himself before he collides with its tail. He waves at us and crouches, reaching under the Gohma for the slingshot. It begins to turn, maybe sensing something behind it.

"Hey!" I yell. "Over here, you big insect!"

The Gohma turns. Sheik falls flat to avoid its tail as it swings and snatches the slingshot. He scrambles back out from under it and runs to join us, jumping back as it lunges at him. "Who wants to shoot it?"

"I'll do it," I offer. "I've gotten a lot of practice with slingshots over the past few years."

Sheik passes over the slingshot. "Wait until its eye turns red," he advises. "It'll only do that right before it attacks, so be careful."

Dark raises the Master Sword. "With this thing it'll be dead in a couple hits, I bet."

The Gohma crawls up the wall as we speak. I look up at it, keeping the slingshot pointed at its eye. It tilts, aiming its rear end at the ground, and its eyes glows red. I take the shot and it drops, hitting the ground hard. Dark steps forward and casually drives the Master Sword into its eye. He stabs it three times before it goes limp, and we all quickly step back before it explodes outwards.

A chest appears in the wreckage, and Dark carefully steps towards it. Shad frowns. "I say, are you sure that's a good idea? Who knows what's in there."

"Something that'll help us get through this place, I'd guess," Ashei says. "That's how it usually works."

"I don't know," Dark says, stepping back from the chest. "Isn't this thing dead?" He holds up a strange-looking rod. I feel like I've seen it before, but I can't recall where.

"The Dominion Rod?!" Shad gasps. "But- This ought to be back in Ordon with the rest of Link's old equipment!"

"Yeah, and the Gust Bellows should be six feet under with the Hero of Legend, and well-rotted by now," Sheik points out. "This place plays by its own rules."

Dark makes a face. "Goddesses never play fair," he complains. He glances into the chest again. "Oh, so _that's_ where the bow went!" He reaches in and pulls Link's bow out of the chest. "Heh, you weren't kidding about not playing by the rules, huh, Sheiky?"

"Of course not." While Dark was talking, Sheik apparently fetched the key out of the chest. "Anyway, it's late. I suggest we stop here for the night. Fat lot of good we'll do if we're too tired to fight."

…

**Just so you guys know, I'm gonna be without internet for the next month or so, so the next update won't be until then at the earliest.**


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